


Possessive Control Freaks

by DameoftheDark



Series: Dani Phantom [9]
Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: AU where danny sam and tucker are the opposite gender, But we all knew that, F/M, Freakshow is kind of a creep, Mild Language, Mild Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-04
Updated: 2018-10-18
Packaged: 2019-07-25 00:21:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 33,944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16186217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DameoftheDark/pseuds/DameoftheDark
Summary: After going to a karaoke jam with her friends, Dani still finds herself doubting Vlad's feelings for her, despite him essentially admitting his affections through a powerful love ballad. However, she quickly forgets about all that when Circus Gothica comes into town; with its death-defying acts and macabre displays of everything strange and weird. The ringleader, Freakshow, invites everyone to experience the dark side, and dazzles the audience with his charisma and his performers. When he lays eyes on Dani, he doesn't think much of her, but when he sees her go ghost, he is immediately smitten. Using his staff, he ensnares Dani and attempts to take her for his very own. With Amity Park's ghost girl indisposed, its up to Vlad to set things right, and there's no way in Hell he will allow someone to take his little badger away from him, but will he be too late?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Please forgive me DX I know it's taking me awhile to get these posted, but I needed to take a break as well as work on some school stuff. Now that my break is over, I hope to have this work done by the end of next week, God willing. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the story!

The early morning chill was far harsher than in previous weeks, assaulting the features and exposed hands of Amity Park’s disgruntled citizens. Many faces were pink, many bodies shuddering. Some even swore that they saw their own breath in the wind. Of course, this was to be expected. Just like any other suburban town in the state of Illinois, Amity Park was no stranger to the abrasive nature of the oncoming winter. For indeed, the city’s autumns were brief, and often Segwayed into winter with little warning. It always seemed that after Halloween, the air got colder and the breeze more frosty.

Since Halloween had ended a week ago, the current weather phenomena did not surprise anyone.

All expect Vlad, of course.

As he exited his house---in his usual attire of black suit and trench coat---he felt a massive chill go up his spine. At first, he thought there was a ghost nearby.

Thankfully, he was wrong.

He shook off the chill, only to feel the brisk wind against his handsome face and large hands. Instinctually, he shoved those hands into his coat pockets, and then proceeded to glare at the lawn.

“Butter Brickle, I should have grabbed a scarf.”

Striding over to his mustang, the older man consulted his wrist watch, which informed him that he would be on time for his meeting with his Board of Directors, only if he managed to avoid the early traffic.

He pulled out his keys and unlocked the driver side door, sliding inside after he opened it. Once he put the keys into the ignition and backed the car out of the drive way, he was off, cruising down the street and finally out through the front gate of Mayor’s Grove.

The billionaire had succeeded in convincing the Board of one of his larger companies to open an office in Chicago, which was only an hour and a half’s drive from the ghost infested city. After all, surely the Board didn’t expect Vlad to drive the two day’s journey all the way to Madison in order to attend the mandatory monthly meetings?

Certainly not.

It was fairly obvious that the Board was still unhappy with him, but with the outstanding work he was doing, even with the move, there was no room to refute him. For indeed, the man was delivering.

And if there was anything that serious businessmen liked, it was results.

The cocky half ghost smirked to himself, knowing just how much those tottering old fools wanted to chastise him for the stunt he pulled, but not having the ability (or right) to do so.

Oh, how he **loved** having the advantage.

Letting out a slight chuckle, Vlad sped to the freeway, cruising up the ramp and onto the interstate. The road was a bit packed, but the traffic wasn’t bumper to bumper, so that was a good sign. With this in mind, the tycoon reasoned that he would be in Chicago by 8:25, just shy of a few minutes early to the meeting.

_This **is** rather bothersome, but it’s this, or travel to Madison in my ghost form, and that would inspire a good number of inquiries. No need to have anyone suspicious of me. _

Should the silver-haired billionaire use his powers to go back and forth, his colleagues would indeed think that something was amiss. Vlad would be making a two-day trip in a matter of seconds, and there’s no explaining that away.

With his hand firmly on the clutch, the pompous older man cruised at a cool 65 miles per hour, with his gaze fixed on the semi-crowded road ahead of him. However, his mind wasn’t completely on the road.

Once his satisfaction regarding his triumph over the Board had died down, his conscious wondered to his powers---or rather, a specific power.

It was no secret to him that some ghosts had the ability to shapeshift, but he was never aware that **he** possessed such a power. As he recalled the incident from Halloween night, flashes of rage and fury appeared in his mind; he remembered how he felt after his little badger had been cut by the Fright Knight’s blade, and it still resonated with him even a week later.

At the time, he wanted nothing more that to slice the ghostly brawler in half, tear him apart molecule by molecule, beat him to an ectoplasmic pulp, anything. He wanted to obliterate him from this and any existence.

The older half ghost had no coherent thoughts during this event, no order in his mind. Rather, he was driven by instinct, fiery anger, barbarism. It was as if he’d become an animal.

All he could see was red. All he wanted to do was paint the walls with the armored ghost’s essence. Nothing could sate his appetite for vengeance, except for that.

However, after a short period, his senses returned to him little by little. Vlad remembered that his mind began to function rationally again after Tucker had addressed him, and was starting to reassert itself seconds before that. Even so, it was difficult for him to speak even after his mind returned to him. He had to, quite literally, force the words out. Although, after a while, his speech returned as well, and he was able to communicate with Danielle and her friends again.

But something about all this didn’t seem right. Vlad also recalled how powerful he felt in the moment, when his wrath kindled and culminated. He had been so sure that he couldn’t get any stronger without the aid of Ghost Zone artifacts like the fabled Crown of Fire and Ring of Rage, and yet he felt more powerful than ever.

According to Danielle and her friends, his appearance had changed into something rather frightening, though he himself never got a good look. But none the less, it was apparent to Vlad that now he was still getting stronger, even 20 years later!

_I must admit, I’m probably more ecstatic about this than I should be. I assume that anyone else would be greatly concerned about this power, but I’m far more interested in learning about it--- discovering how it works, I mean._

Besides, if it made him more powerful, than it was an automatic plus in his book.

Pulling up and stopping behind a stationary Toyota, the businessman gazed out the driver’s window, taking in Amity Park’s skyline. Over the past week, Vlad had been far too busy to test this new-found power. Between work and training his little badger, he could barely find the time to breathe, let along experiment with this interesting ability. Moreover, preparation for today’s meeting took up a decent amount of the weekend.

However, once the meeting was done and over with, he would have some time to relax, and he fully intended on spending that time getting acquainted with this shapeshifting ability.

If that was indeed what it was.

In reality, Vlad had no idea what it was. He just assumed it was shapeshifting, but it was entirely possible that this new power was something else altogether. From what he’d observed of shapeshifting ghosts, it didn’t seem like their powers were affected by their emotions, rather it was more likely that they simply willed their bodies to take on another shape.

Although, he couldn’t be truly certain.

 He sighed and leaned back against his seat. “Perhaps it would be wise to freshen my memory on shapeshifting before attempting to do it myself.”

Then he realized just how odd this whole thing was. He hadn’t had to hold inquiries about his own powers for two whole decades, and here he was theorizing about how to handle this new power.

He had to laugh.

And he did.

At least, however, he had the foresight to go about this situation properly. He had been down this road many times before, so proceeding forward would be little issue.

If Danielle had been the one of obtain this power, she would probably dissolve into a pit of apprehension and uncertainty.

And no, that wasn’t because she wasn’t capable. It was simply due to the fact that she’s a teenager who was **already** uncertain about her powers.

As the Toyota pulled up, Vlad followed suit, soon escaping the crowded lane and gracefully sliding to the far left of the highway. Smiling, his mind once again drifted, but to his little badger this time. As it was a Monday morning, he knew that she would be in school by now. He suddenly found himself wondering what class she was in and what she was doing. Was she working on something important? Was she taking a test? Perhaps she was goofing off with her friends?

Was she thinking about him?

At this thought, he shook his head.

_I shouldn’t be thinking of such things right now. I don’t wish to make myself depressed._

Danielle had told him that she was in love with someone, and he got the feeling that she had come close to telling him who. During their campaign against Desiree, Vlad got the impression that she was going to admit to him the person she loved, but was interrupted by Tucker Foley. Since then, she hadn’t even brought up the matter. In fact, she also didn’t bring up uncertainties about his confessions while under Desiree’s power. In fact, she had avoided talking about anything remotely intimate, and this naturally led the billionaire to believe it was because she didn’t want to talk about it at all. But if that was case, then what was the reason why? Was she just shy, or was she disgusted? He didn’t get that vibe from her, so he severely hoped not.

If she was shy about it, he would understand. After all, she was a teenager.

Also, it wouldn’t be the first time she was shy about something regarding him.

Once again, he sighed, though this time it was out of uneasiness instead of just general breathing. Here he was, on his way to an important meeting, and the only thing he could think about was whether or not the girl he was in love with reciprocated his affections.

Although, if he could pretend to care about that, he would have tried to already. In truth, it didn’t matter to him that **this** was what he was concerned about. To him, nothing else was all that important---nothing else really mattered. Sure, he still cared about day-to-day things enough to not neglect them, but they weren’t as crucial to him anymore. Not even his vested interests in the Ghost Zone kept his attention.

Still, he couldn’t help but humor the idea of his adorable little badger daydreaming about him while in class. If she did fantasize about him, what did she imagine? What scenarios did she picture in her cute little head? Did she imagine the two of them spending quality time together, perhaps in some very informal positions? 

He cleared his throat.

“No, don’t humor things like that,” he lectured himself. “You’ll never stop if you indulge such thoughts.”

As he slowed to a stop behind another vehicle (this time a Mazda) Vlad placed a hand to his face and exhaled loudly.

“I can’t keep doing this to myself. One of these days I’m going to lose control, causing Danielle to either fear or despise me.”

This was, of course, the absolute **last** thing he wanted. If his dear girl ended up despising him, he wouldn’t know what to do with himself. If she ended up fearing him, he would be so disgusted and ashamed that he would liable to throw himself off a building.

What he wanted was to protect her, care for her, to treat her like a queen. The older half ghost wished to hold her and keep her, especially from harm and wrong. However, how could he make sure that **he** wouldn’t cause that harm and wrong? Usually he could hold himself back, but since the incident with Desiree, it was as if his inhibitions had all but depleted.

Shaking his head once again, the tycoon focused on the road as the cars ahead of him were permitted to continue on their way. Apparently there had been an accident. He wasn’t sure.

As the sun peeked over the hills in the distance, Vlad began recalling the necessary information needed for his meeting, not only in further preparation, but also to distract himself from the turmoil of desire and longing in his gut.

 

***********

 

_I’m done. I’m finished. I can’t do this._

_There’s no way I can do this._

_…_

_I don’t know the answers!_

Dani stared at the test in front of her with wide, desperate eyes. As if willing the answers to appear in the blank spaces, she gawked at the exam in front of her and tapped her mechanical pencil to her cheek. Sure, math wasn’t her best subject---in fact, it was her worst---but she didn’t think she could fail **this** bad.

Studying over the weekend hadn’t been easy, what with the rampant ghost sightings all over town. She had humored calling the older billionaire to help out, but she didn’t want to bother him.

Now she wished she had.

With just her, Sam, and Tucker, catching all the ghosts on Saturday night was impossible, so naturally they had to try again on Sunday, making all of them tired and unfocused. And in Dani’s case, she hadn’t studied much to begin with; instead of being a “responsible” student, she goofed off during the day playing video games and thinking about Vlad.

In short, not much was done over the two-day weekend.

And now here she was, panicking over a test that she would’ve at least had a better chance of acing if she’d just stuck to her studies.

Honestly, when will she learn?

_Evidently, never._

A quick glance at the clock told her that she only had 15 minutes left until the end of class---15 minutes until her inevitable judgment.

Sighing heavily, the young heroine resigned herself to whatever consequences came of this and flipped her test over, attempting to ignore the numerous blank questions scattered throughout the three-page exam. Then she blinked at the front page, looking at the estimated guesses with a blank face. She could just give up on school, right?

Nope.

Her parents would kill her.

Sighing, she leaned back in her chair and made note of the other students around her. Some of them were already finished and were tapping their desks or fiddling with their phones, no doubt texting. Others looked just as anxious as she felt, wiggling their pencils in their hands or biting their nails. Meanwhile, however, Sam appeared completely calm as he filled in his answers, and Tucker sat back with her head tilted up, closed gaze facing the ceiling. She had finished her test some time ago, and therefore chose to take a nap for the remainder of class.

Why she chose to sleep with her head up like that was anyone’s guess.

The ghost girl laid her head down on her desk, cheek resting against the cool wooden surface. Exhaling through her nose, she allowed her mind to drift into different territories; for instance, she wondered about whether or not she’d be facing any ghosts that night, or if her grades would continue to plummet due to her superhero activities. Given this, would she even be able to become a senior? Would she graduate on time? Would she be able to get into a good college? Would she even be able to get **into** college?

Now **that** was a thought she didn’t want to have. Her dream of becoming an astronaut rode on her getting into a good college---or one at all, for that matter---and there was no way her parents would let her give up.

Though, granted, they didn’t understand why she wasn’t interested in the paranormal, but they were supportive of her choice of career, so that was beside the point.

Then something occurred to the young heroine: maybe she should ask Vlad for help.

A faint blush rose in her cheeks.

_No way. He’s probably way too busy to help me anyway. Besides, he’s already got enough on his plate, what with the training---I can’t just add tutoring on top of that._

Although, he did once tell her that that was what he was there for; he came to Amity Park to help her, and that didn’t have to stop at ghost stuff.

Dani pulled her arm up from her sides and folded them over her desk, giving herself a make-shift pillow out of the soft fabric of her pink hoodie’s sleeves.

_At least I have French next. Mr. Dessalines said we were gonna watch Beauty and the Beast today._

At that thought, the bell rang, and as fast as one could blink, Dani rose from her seat and fast-walked over to the teacher’s desk to deposit her exam. Her math instructor, Mrs. Rochelle, gave her a raised eyebrow before sliding the test over to the side, thus forming the beginnings of a pile. Then the young girl marched back over to her desk, seized her bag, and made her exit, with Tucker and Sam following quickly after.

“Whoa Dani, wait up!” the computer geek called over the bustle of the hallway.

She turned around and waited, allowing her friends to catch up.

“Oh man, I’ve seen that look before,” the goth began. “That’s the look of complete and utter self-reproach.”

“I don’t wanna talk about it,” she responded.

“Ya know, tests wouldn’t be that hard if you just studied.”

“I know!”

“Hey c’mon Sam, no need to kick a girl while she’s down,” the techno whiz said as she planted a hand to the rebel’s shoulder. “Can’t you tell she’s had enough? The test is a punishment all on its own.”

“Sure, but it seems to be a reoccurring pattern, don’t you think?” Sam asked in a leading way.

“What can I say?” Dani started, shoving her hands into her jeans’ pockets. “I hate studying.”

“We used to be real good at it though, weren’t we?” Tucker asked. “We managed to stay on top of all our homework and stuff at the very beginning of the semester.”

“Well, I don’t know about you,” the nonconformist began with a knowing gaze in Tucker’s direction. “But my work ethic hasn’t changed a bit, but seems you guys are the ones falling behind.”

“Hey, I’ll have you know that I’m maintaining a solid B average,” the geek pointed out.

“Which would be an A average if you actually stayed on top of your stuff,” Sam refuted with a smirk.

“Yeah well…whatever!”

Dani rolled her eyes. “Can’t we talk about something else, like the fact that we’re supposed to watch Beauty and the Beast today?”

“Oh yeah!” Tucker exclaimed in excited recollection. “I’d forgotten all about that!”

“Isn’t it gonna be dubbed in French, though?” Sam inquired.

“Eh, who cares? A French-dubbed Disney movie is still a Disney movie.”

“Good point.”

“After all, we’ve seen it so many times, I don’t think we need it spoken in English anymore. And besides that,” the computer geek said with a grin as she leaned forward and eyed Dani (who was walking to her right).

“What?”

“You’re probably gonna enjoy the movie a lot more than everyone else,” Tucker stated, eyes flashing with mischief. “I mean, you already have a Beast of your own.”  

 “Tucker!”

Now it was Sam’s turn to roll his eyes. “Seriously Tucker, you’re not funny.”

“Who says I’m tryin’ to be funny? I just happen to know that all throughout the movie, Dani’s gonna be daydreaming about singing _Be Our Guest_ to our friendly neighborhood billionaire.”

“I will not!”

 _Actually, it would be_ Something There _, instead._

“Anyway, speaking of singing---” the techno enthusiast began, but was interrupted.

“We weren’t,” Sam said curtly.

“Yeah well, never mind, are we still on for Karaoke after school? Remember, that new place opened up a few blocks away from the mall?”

“I’m still game,” the young half ghost agreed with a nod. “Sam?”

“Sure, I don’t care,” he mumbled, his mood apparently soiled.

“Awesome sauce!” Tucker enthused. “Then as soon as Bio is over, we head over to 7 Sirens!” 

The young heroine shrugged her bag further up her shoulder. “It’s just too bad the school day’s barely started then, huh?”

With a sigh, Tucker draped her arms in front of her in a dejected fashion. “Yup.”

 

***********

The trio walked up to the newly opened Karaoke joint just down the street from Amity Park’s mall, taking in the freshly painted building with enthusiastic eyes. As they clambered inside, they found several groups of teenagers loitering in the lobby, with some individuals getting their respective groups registered. To the left of the door sat Paulina and Star, who were chatting rather loudly about Humpty Dumpty’s newest album, hoping that it was available for singing. To the right of the front desk was Dash and Kwan, who seemed to only be there because their girlfriends dragged them into it.

Dani had to laugh.

So she did, letting out a slight chuckle.

The place was decorated in neon pink lights, ones that stood in the corners of the room like floor lamps and lined the ceiling in thin strips, as well as covered the floor in a similar manner. Posters of famous pop stars lined the walls and even down the two hallways behind and adjacent to the front desk. In addition, an enormous, frameless picture of Tokyo Tower standing like a beacon in the night was placed on the wall behind the front desk, taking up a good majority of it said wall.

“Hey, why do they call this place 7 Sirens when it’s not even themed like the ocean?” Sam asked pedantically.  

“I think it’s ‘cause there’s 7 rooms,” Tucker began, touching her chin in a thinking pose. “But I’m not sure about the ‘Siren’ part.”

“I heard that the 7th room is a VIP-esque room; it’s bigger, brighter, and has free snacks and you can stay in there longer,” the ghost girl enlightened, smiling in anticipation.

“It’s also more expensive,” the computer geek responded.

“So? I told you guess I’d cover us,” the rebel teen reminded. “I can register us for that room, if you’d like.”

The two girls smiled from ear to ear. “Really??” they asked in unison, brimming with eagerness.

Sam laughed. “Sure.”

“Too bad losers, ‘cause Dash has already paid for that room,” a voice mocked from their left. The party of three glanced over to see Paulina sneering up at them, her obnoxiously conceited visage igniting the irritation in their stomachs.

“Yeah, too bad, so sad,” Star added, feigning sympathy.

“It doesn’t matter, we can just register it another time,” Sam pointed out, glaring at the two popular girls.

“Not if I asked my amazing boyfriend to register us for the room for the next several weeks,” Paulina commented as she gazed at her manicured nails.

“What? You can’t do that!” Tucker refuted.

“Oh, can’t I?” After responding, she looked over at Dash, and when she trio followed suit, they saw the blonde jock hand the receptionist a wad of bills, much to the young woman’s delight.

“This is so unfair! You can’t lay claim to a single room in this place!” the black-clad teen stated, throwing his arms in the air. However, it seemed the other two girls found Sam’s outburst amusing, because they startled giggling, as if to say: “Aww, he thinks we care, how cute!”

With a growl, Sam marched over to the front desk, focusing intently on the receptionist. “Look, you can’t just accept a bribe like that. What about all the other kids who want to register for that room?”

The dyed-blonde girl looked lazily up at the goth. “Look honey, if you don’t got a higher bid, there’s nothing I can do.”

“My ass,” he mumbled under his breath.

“Let’s just forget about it, Sam,” Dani suggested. “Let’s just get another room.”

“No way. There’s no way I’m gonna let those twits get away with this,” the goth stated, furrowing his brow. He then reached into his spider-shaped backpack, pulled out his wallet, and took out a couple hundred bucks and slammed it down in the desk. “Will **this** cover it?”

The receptionist eyed the money like it was offering her a Caribbean Cruise. In no time flat, she swiped the cash and added it to her wad.

“Go ahead, kids.”

“Sweet!” Tucker enthused loudly, alerting everyone in the lobby.

“Just to be clear, we get the room today, and then whoever wants it next gets it, expect for those guys over there,” Sam said as he indicated at the popular kids with his thumb.

Paulina and Star seemed pretty incensed.

“Sure, whatever,” the receptionist said, clearly bored with them now that she had a beginnings of a fortune in her hands.

With that, Sam received a laminated card with the number 7 on it, and then the trio proceeded down the right hall, walking to the end and entering through a red door. The room had indeed earned its recent reputation, with its size being the combined length of two of the regular rooms and its generously-sized velvet red couches. These pieces of furniture faced one another, separated by a glass coffee table, which itself was adorned with bowls of various snacks and confectionaries. Modern-style lights hung from the ceilings, resembling red blobs in a lava lamp, only laying horizontal and suspended by thin metal rods. In addition, a 60-inch TV hung off the wall in the back of the room, with a karaoke machine sitting just in front of it.

“Whoa…they weren’t kidding…” Tucker said in awe.

Dani sauntered up to the couch on the left and tossed her backpack on the furthest end and took a seat, gawking at the room herself.

“It’s pretty nice.”

Sam placed his bag on the ground next to the other couch, and as Tucker got herself situated next to him, the goth ventured back to the door.

“I’m just going to quickly select some songs for us. Got any requests?”

“Ooo ooo! What A Girl Wants!” the computer geek enthused.

“How about Hey Ya?” the young half ghost proposed.

The rebel made a face. “C’mon guys, how about something that isn’t pop garbage?”

“Hey, What A Girl Wants ain’t garbage!” Tucker said in rebuke.

“How about you pick things we like and things you like?” Dani, ever the compromiser, advised. “Then everyone’s happy.”

“Sounds good to me,” the techno enthusiast concurred. “Just don’t pick anything that’s screamo. I can’t stand that noise.”

With a huff, Sam left the room, leaving the two girls giggling.

“He can be so dramatic sometimes.”

“Yeah, just a little,” the raven-haired ghost girl replied.

“Seriously, he needs to lighten up a bit,” Tucker stated with a grin. “At this rate, he’ll be single forever.”

“Hey, don’t say that. I’m sure Sam’ll find a nice goth girl to prowl the night with someday,” Dani supposed.

“For his sake, I sure hope so.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, he’s still super into **you** , but we all know that’s not gonna happen.”

The blue-eyed teen sank in her seat. “Yeah.”

“I know how hard unrequited love is, but I hope Sam gets over this sooner rather than later. But trust me, I know it’s no easy thing.”

“Yeah, you were upset about Jerome for a while.”

“Exactly! And the longer you dwell on it, the harder it gets to move on. But knowing Sam, he’ll bottle this up till he explodes. He’s like a girl in that regard.”

Dani let out an awkward laugh, trying to ease the guilt in her heart. “I hear you there.”

The other girl sighed and relaxed into the couch, flinging her arms over the back of it. “You know, since we’re on the subject, how did things go with Vlad last week?”

“Wha---? How is that at all related?” the half ghost asked in embarrassment.

“‘Cause we’re talkin’ about **love** , silly girl,” Tucker answered with a grin as playful as a college girl’s. “So how did it go? Lookin’ forward to this week?”

“I uh…I guess so,” she said as she diverted her eyes to the floor. “We just went over some techniques for using ecto-energy to form shields, barriers, and other things like that. Vlad said I was making good progress.”

“Mm mm, good to hear, O.K., that’s nice, but what about the good stuff?”

“‘The good stuff’?” Dani repeated in confusion.

“Yeah you know, like **cuddling**?”

The young heroine’s face flushed a pure red, a nice complement to the carpet. “Wait, you **saw** that?!”

The techno whiz flashed her pearly whites. “Uh huh.”

“AHHHHH!” Dani exclaimed, covering her face with her hands, feeling even more heat rise in her features.

“Oh calm down, I was right next to you that night, I would have been impossible for me to **not** notice.”

“Y-yeah, but---!”

“Ohhh, you were so cute, sleeping up against Vlad like that! And Vlad too! You guys looked like a worn-out couple who just got back from running a marathon! It was adorable!” 

“Tucker, stop!” the young pupil implored, leaning over her lap in an attempt to hide herself even more.

“The only thing that was missing was a kiss goodbye before he left, and I was so sure he would’ve, too,” the other girl commented to herself, but loud enough for Dani to hear.

“Argh! Please, stop!”

“Relax girl, it’s not like I’m gonna tell anyone. Besides, why get so embarrassed? I’m rooting for you! It’s not like I’m trying to humiliate you or anything.”

“I-I know, but…it’s still embarrassing to hear things like that said out loud, especially about the guy I like…”

The geek blinked. “Wow, you’re pretty vanilla.”

“Tucker!”

The computer geek burst out laughing, rolling onto her side and clutching her gut with her arms.

Dani, instead, pouted.

_Glad to see someone’s having a good time at my expense._

After a few minutes, Tucker calmed down and Sam re-entered the room, inquiring about the boisterous laughter he’d heard from the hallway. The techno whiz assured him it was nothing, and then proceeded to devour a crème-filled cupcake.

After the goth told them the line-up, he ushered the computer geek up to the mic, pointing out that she was first. Beaming with excitement, Tucker grabbed the mic and belted out to the tune of Can’t Get You Out Of My Head by Kylie Minogue, followed by No Doubt’s Hella Good and then Avril Lavigne’s Complicated.

All throughout, you had both Sam and Dani pretending their ears weren’t bleeding.

Once Tucker plunked herself down next to the goth, Dani and Sam breathed a sigh of relief.

“Man, I’ve got to say,” the techno enthusiast began, wearing a satisfied smile. “It feels really good to let go of the day’s stress by singing some great songs, wouldn’t you say?”

“Sure, if you call **that** singing,” Sam remarked.

Tucker glared. “Well if you hate it so much, then why did you insist I go first?”

“Duh, to get you out of the way,” the rebel responded matter-of-factly, warranting a giggle from the ghost girl.

“Hmph, everyone’s a critic,” Tucker huffed as she crossed her arms and sank in her seat.

In the middle of this, the young heroine felt something vibrate in her pocket, so she reached in and retrieved her phone, seeing a text alert on the small pixelated screen. Her heart jumped for joy when she saw the name of the contact.

Opening her phone, she pulled up the message, and it read: // _Good afternoon, Danielle. I hope you’re ready for our training session tomorrow._ //

Smiling like a dork, the peppy teenager gave her reply: // _Sure am!_ //

After several seconds, the older half ghost texted again: // _So, what are you up to? I trust you’re paling around with your friends?_ //

// _Gosh, nothing gets by u, huh?_ //

// _Not if I can help it, no ;-)_ //

Dani stared at the screen, gaze transfixed.  

_Holy cow._

_No way._

_He sent me a winky face?!?!_

What did that mean? Was he just messing around? Was he just being his normal cocky self? Was he flirting??

No, that was impossible. There was no way in all the Ghost Zone that he was currently flirting with her. Perhaps he was just being playful, like she first assumed? That had to be it.

But regardless, how was she to respond to a winky face? Send one of her own? Or maybe a different face was more appropriate? Should she just ignore it?

With semi-shaky fingers, Dani delicately typed in her response to her mentor: // _Well, ur always so perspective anyways :P_ //

_There, lets see what he thinks about that._

// _Forgive me, but is that a face with the tongue sticking out?_ //

Suddenly the poor thing felt even more embarrassed. How had he read her message before asking this?? Was he confused?

Although, he seemed to figure it out, so perhaps it wasn’t all bad.

// _Yea. Its kinda silly, u know_ //

// _Indeed, I see it now. I apologize, I must come off as some old geezer who doesn’t understand what is “hip”, or whatever term you kids use now._ //

Dani giggled. // _Its O.K. But u should know that trying to sound “hip” just makes u look even older. Its kinda a general rule for ppl over 30_ //

// _Oh I see. Is that how it works?_ //

// _Uh huh!_ //

// _Well, you’ll have to let me know if I’m ever violating this universal rule ;P_ //

“Oh my god…” the young heroine whispered under her breath, out of both surprise and delight.

_He adapted my tongue face!_

// _U can count on me!:D_ //

Then, after a second or two, Dani added to her reply: // _Thats an open-mouth smile, btw_ //

// _Yes, I figured as much._ //

// _Oh yea u were asking me wat I was up 2! Srry, I got distracted_ //

// _That’s quite alright._ //

// _I’m at a new karaoke place with Tucker and Sam. It’s really cool. Tucker just got done singing a few songs._ //

// _Sounds like fun._ //

// _We got the VIP room! Well, O.K., technically it’s not an actual VIP room, but that’s wat everyone calls it_ //

// _I see. Are you enjoying yourself?_ //

// _Yea! It’s a lot of fun. But it would be even more fun if u were here_ //

After 20 seconds, Dani hadn’t received a reply.

Anxiety rattled her stomach.

_Did he think my text was weird? Maybe I shouldn’t have said something like that. Maybe I should clarify what I meant?_

// _What I mean is I think we’d have a much better time with u here. And u were awesome during Ember’s concert, so I assumed u like to sing. After all, ur pretty good at it_ //

5 seconds.

15 seconds.

Nothing.

What was going on? Did he find her response strange? Did he find it inappropriate? Maybe he didn’t receive her last one? Was he unable to answer for some reason?

_Was he texted while driving?!?!_

“Hey Dani, you O.K.?” Tucker asked, startling the young half ghost.

“Uh---yeah, yeah I’m good!” she said clumsily.

“You sure? You’re a bit red in the face.”

“I am?” Dani felt her cheeks, and sure enough, they were warm.

_Damn teen hormones._

“Yeah, I’m fine, don’t worry about me!” she laughed nervously.

“Oh, O.K, then.”

The ghost girl gazed back at her phone. Why wasn’t he responding? She felt unrest twist her gut, causing a slight ache. Though she loved the feeling she got when she was around him, this was the part of her affections she hated the most---the uncertainty. She hated not knowing why he took a while to answer, she hated not knowing what he was thinking, but above all, she hated that she got so worked up over it in the first place.

It was truly pathetic.

Groaning, she tucked her phone back into her pocket, suddenly seeing it as an irritant. “So, who’s up next?”

“I think Sam is, right?” Tucker asking in clarification.

“Yup. Just waiting for the next song to start,” the rebel teen replied.

“What did you choose?” the young girl asked.

“Just some metal and hard rock.”

“Marilyn Manson?” the computer geek inquired with a smirk.

“Nah, Rob Zombie. They didn’t have any Marilyn Manson stuff.”

And with that, the opening rift of Dragula began playing through the speakers, and imagines of the man himself appeared on the TV screen. He was dressed very strangely, dreadlocks flowing down and swishing as he moved.

Sam gave a dark smirk to his friends and swaggered over to the mic, taking it and nodding his head to the beat of the interesting music.

“ _Dead I am the one, exterminating son. Slipping through the trees, strangling the breeze._ ”

The goth’s voice was no Rob Zombie, but it was clear that he had been practicing, because he came surprisingly close.

“ _Dead I am the sky, watching angels cry, while they slowly turn, conquering the worm._ ”

Dani and Tucker found themselves bobbing their heads to the tune, surprising themselves that they would find this kind of music catchy. Tucker wasn’t much of a metal fan---in fact, at all---and Dani didn’t normally listen to that kind of music. However, the young heroine decided that she may have to explore this alternative genre after all.

“ _Dig through the ditches and burn through the witches I slam in the back of my Dragula! Dig through the ditches and burn through the witches I slam in the back of my Dragula!_ ”

“Whoo! Go Sam!” the techno whiz cried in fervor.

“ _Dead I am the pool, spreading from the fool. Weak and want you need, nowhere as you bleed._ ”

The younger half ghost caught herself smiling, realizing just how much she was enjoying seeing Sam in his element. He seemed so natural, his movements flowed with the song, as if guided by the words, and his features were relaxed. For the first time in a long while, he seemed truly at peace, which was odd given the choice of song.

The rebel looked like he had forgotten about his recent heartbreak and was finally getting back into the swing of things.

And Dani couldn’t have been happier for her friend.

“ _Dead I am the rat, feast upon the cat. Tender is the fur, dying as you purr. Dig through the ditches and burn through the witches I slam in the back of my Dragula! Dig through the ditches and burn through the witches I slam in the back of my Dragula!_ ”

As the song’s instrumental played, Sam sang the repeated lyrics, closing his eyes and rocking his head back and forth, apparently really getting into the beat. His enthusiasm was infectious, for soon the geek was standing and swaying to the beat of the song, throwing her fist in the air. The blue-eyed teen laughed in glee and bounced her knee in tandem with the rhythm.

“ _Dead I am the life, dig into the skin. Knuckle crack the bone, twenty-one to win._ ”

Now Dani was fighting the urge to get up and dance to the beat, but she didn’t want to embarrass herself---although, the idea of looking quite silly didn’t seem to bother Tucker at all.

“ _Dead I am the dog, hound of hell you cry. Devil on your back, I can never die. Dig through the ditches and burn through the witches I slam in the back of my Dragula! Dig through the ditches and burn through the witches I slam in the back of my Dragula!_ ”

Sam sang this verse three more times, as the song called for it, and once it faded out, both girls cheered and gushed.

“Wow! That was awesome, Sam!” the computer geek enthused.

“Yeah, that was really something else!” the ghost girl added.

“Thanks, I’ve been trying to get my voice right, but I’ll never sound like **that**.”

“No, but it was a good imitation,” Tucker pointed out.

Suddenly, the all too familiar rift of AC/DC’s Back in Black came pouring out of the sound system, causing all three teenagers to break out in a collective grin.

“Good on you for not choosing screamo crap,” the geek praised.

“I just didn’t want to hear about it later,” the goth responded, gesturing for the girls to sit back down, which they did.

As the black-clad boy gave his best attempt at sounding even a little bit like Brian Johnson, the peppy ghost girl bobbed her head again, thoroughly elated that things had finally seemed to return to normal between them. Even after they had reconciled during the Desiree incident, there was still an aura of tension between the two of them. It was clear that Sam still felt awkward about his confession and subsequent rejection, and his mannerisms heavily suggested that. However, after a couple weeks, it appeared as though he’d moved past it at last.

Maybe Tucker was wrong? Maybe he got over it already?

Although wasn’t that, in of itself, a sign of something bad possibly coming later on down the line?

Either way, Dani was just glad that things in the moment seemed to be fine. If problems arose later on, then they would be dealt with then.

After Back in Black finished out, the nonconformist belted out to Bon Jovi’s You Give Love A Bad Name, Twisted Sister’s We’re Not Gonna Take It, and The Night by Voltaire. The last song, for some reason, resonated with Dani. She couldn’t help but picture a vampire toying with his prey---some poor young maiden, chasing her through the woods and into his ominous abode. As the scene played out in her head, she ended up seeing Vlad as that vampire, and herself as the maiden. The older half ghost was, of course, in his ghost form, but she wasn’t, adding to the tension of the imaginary scene. The sense of danger, the feeling of foreboding, and the sense of near hopelessness tingled in her chest, causing her heart to pump a bit faster and her stomach felt the sensation too.

The young girl never thought she was the kind of person who humored such fantasies, but she surmised that it didn’t really matter, so long as she wasn’t hurting anyone.

That, and as long as she didn’t tell anyone. She didn’t know if she could take the mortification.

Then, out of the corner of her eye, Dani noticed something creep in through the wall. Whipping her head around, she noticed Plasmius phasing into the room, turning tangible once he touched the carpeted floor.

“I must say, I didn’t think anyone your age listened to that kind of music, though I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised,” he stated to Sam, looking in the goth’s direction.

“Is it that weird that I actually have a taste in music?” the rebel bit back, crossing his arms, still standing in front of the karaoke machine.

“Not at all, it just troubles me that we happen to listen to the same things. I don’t find comfort in knowing that some idealistic child like yourself shares the same musical tastes as me, but perhaps that just means you’re not so hopeless,” he explained teasingly, seemingly trying to get a rise out of the goth.

In reply, he merely huffed.

“Hey, Vlad. What’re you doing here?” Tucker asked, turning her head to address the older man.

“Yeah, I was wondering the same thing,” Dani chimed in, placing her fists in between her thighs. “Oh and…hi.”

“Hello Danielle,” the billionaire greeted with a nod toward her, then looked at Tucker. “I just happened to be in the neighborhood, so I thought I’d drop by.”

“That’s what every shady person says,” Sam accused, narrowing his eyes.

“Yes, I understand that such a thing sounds very pedestrian, but I would hardly equate it to something shady,” the tycoon defended with a calm expression.

“Well who cares? It’s cool to see you here!” the techno geek stated with a smile. “You gonna hang out with us?”

“I think I can spare an hour or two,” he supposed before transforming back into human form. After this, he walked over to the vacant seat next to Dani and made himself comfortable, much to Sam’s displeasure.

As the next song came on, Tucker decided to join in (since it was one of her favorites) and grabbed the second mic attached to the machine.

As the geek and the goth sang Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit, Dani leaned over to her mentor.

“Were you really in the neighborhood?” she whispered.

“Not exactly,” he began, looking down at her and keeping his voice low. “I had just wrapped up a few meetings and decided to text you. I was curious about what you were doing.”

“Ahh, so I guess you were just begging for an excuse to spend time with me?” she said playfully.

“How very astute of you, little badger,” he said back, being just as playful. “Am I becoming that predictable?”

“Just a little. Don’t worry, I’ll let you know when you’ve become completely boring.”

“I’d be much obliged, Danielle.”

She giggled. Oh, how she loved it when they shared some witty back and worth banter.

And he didn’t mind it either.

“No problem, Frootloop.”

At first, Vlad looked surprised, but then his eyes crinkled into a delighted visage. They glowed with adoration as his lips formed a tender smile.

He couldn’t help it, he found her utterly adorable. The businessman suddenly fancied taking her away from this room---away from the eyes of her friends---and trapping Dani in the bathroom, caressing her body and finally tasting that delicate mouth of hers.

But, once again, he decided against it.

The choice was getting harder and harder to make, however.

Then the young girl looked down at her lap, obviously unable to the bear eye contact any longer.

At this, Vlad just about had an aneurism.

_I can’t do this for much longer. I feel my resolve boiling over._

“Danielle?”

“Yeah?” she answered, looking back up at him, despite her reddening features.

“You must forgive me, but something has been bothering me for a long time now, and I’m not sure I can ignore it anymore,” he confessed, looking deeply into her eyes.

“O-Oh…w-what is it?” she stammered, mentally kicking herself because of how mouse-like she sounded.

“Danielle, if I may, I must be frank,” he began, making sure Tucker and Sam couldn’t hear him. He knew he shouldn’t be asking something like this in this circumstance, given that it concerned a very private matter, but Vlad couldn’t hold back anymore; he was already holding back plenty, with regard to taking her in his arms right then and there. Plus, it was killing him, not knowing how his little badger felt about them---about **him**. “On Halloween, we were talking about what happened during our campaign against Desiree, where I happened to relay some rather intimate information to you. Just for my own sense of ease, I must know: were you offended by what happened? How do you interpret the things I said?”

Dani’s face became as a red as a steamed lobster. She was stunned that he would bring this up now, in a karaoke joint of all places! Especially with Sam and Tucker in the same room!

Regardless, there was something in his face that resonated with her. He looked inquisitive, but also worried.

_That’s right, on Halloween we started talking about it, but then Tucker and Sam showed up and that whole conversation got derailed. We never did go back to it…_

And she secretly hoped they never would, but it appeared that was all blown out of the water now.  

“I…uh…”

He leaned in, allowing Dani to see herself in his navy orbs.

“Yes?”

“I-I…I don’t know…”

When he didn’t say anything, the half ghost heroine averted her gaze. How could she make eye-contact with him when he was so close?

“I…I wasn’t offended, not at all,” she illuminated.

Vlad still didn’t respond, but he didn’t have to. It was clear that his attention was entirely on her.

“Actually, I was really happy with some of the things you said. I-I…” How could she explain herself? If she elaborated further, she would basically be confessing her feelings to him.

“Were you?” he asked, his tone low and invading her ears, caressing her eardrums.

“Uh huh…I-I…I-I was happy that y-you wanted t-to spend time with me too, and I was h-happy when you said you wanted to be around me…”

“Is that right?”

Heat surged in her face once more, and the young girl turned her head away from him. “Y-yeah.”

_Please don’t ask me why it made me happy!_

“And why did it make you happy to hear such things?”

_Damn it!!_

“B-because…I-I…I-It’s just nice to hear that y-you enjoy being around me…it’s nice to hear when someone likes to be around you…”

“Is that all?”

Vlad knew damn well he was pushing, but he was so close; so close to learning whether or not his little badger loved him or not. Of course, this also meant he was terrified---what would he do if she didn’t? If she revealed to him that she person she loved was someone else, what was he to do then?

“W-well…”

His hearted pounded in his chest.

Hers too.

“I-I…I don’t…”

The billionaire’s eyes flashed with panic.

_What?_

“I don’t want to interpret what happened the wrong way, so I basically tried not to think about it too much,” the 16-year-old admitted, glancing at her shoes.

“So you haven’t thought about what I said?”

“N-No…I did, but…”

“Danielle,” he began, his tone tittering on the edge of calm and dread. “I know you’ve thought about it enough to form an opinion. You were going to tell me back on Halloween.”

“I-I know…”

“So please, enlighten me,” he requested, draping an arm over the back of the couch and crossing one leg over the other.

“I…I was a little scared by what was going on, ‘cause you weren’t acting like yourself, but I was also happy too, a-and…”

“‘And’?”

“A-and…and I thought that maybe y-you felt a certain way, but I wasn’t sure…”

“‘Felt a certain way’? What do you mean?”

_Damn it!!!_

Dani wasn’t sure how much longer she could endure this. She didn’t want to admit her feelings, but it seemed like Vlad wouldn’t be satisfied until he heard the whole truth. Didn’t he know the painfully awkward position he was putting her in??

“L-look, can we not talk about this for now, like, maybe we can come back to this later?”

“Danielle,” the tycoon started, sounding a bit annoyed. “I know an evasion when I see one.”  

“S-sorry…”

“Listen, I don’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable, but I’m trying to ascertain your feelings on the matter. I want to know your opinion on what I said that day.”

“You mean, how I interpreted them?”

“Yes.”

“What I think they suggest?”

“Yes.”

Fabulous.

Now she would **have** to tell him everything. There was no way out of this!

“I-I---”

Suddenly, the song ended, meaning that the background noise was no longer there to drown out their conversation. The young heroine, naturally, thanked God for the impeccable timing.

Tucker cracked her neck and wiggled her shoulders, releasing some of her lingering energy. “Woo! That was awesome! By the way guys, its rude to talk during a performance,” she scolded.

“Sorry Tuck,” the ghost girl replied while rubbing the back of her neck.

The eccentric bachelor said nothing, but merely turned to the computer geek and blinked.

“Alrighty, who’s next? Dani?” she asked.

“W-what? N-no way.”

Now that Vlad was there, there was no chance in hell she was going to get up and sing in front him. Hadn’t she been through enough embarrassment for one day?

As Sam and Tucker sat back down, the billionaire addressed his little badger again: “Yes, Danielle, why don’t you go up next?”

_NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!_

“Hey, I have a better idea---why don’t you go? I mean, you’re much better at singing than me, and I think it would be cool to hear you sing again---since, you know, we haven’t heard you since Ember’s concert, and that was what, like, over a month or two ago?”

Vlad blinked several times in rapid succession. Sometimes his little badger could be a tad inelegant in her speech. “I supposed that’s fine.”

In truth, he didn’t know how else to respond to her word vomit.

“Well hurry up then, I only booked this room for an hour,” the goth explicated impatiently.

With an eye roll, the older man stood up and walked over to the machine, suddenly realizing he had no idea what song was going to come on next. He found himself hoping that it wasn’t some pop idol song from some teenaged one hit wonder, or that it wasn’t rap.

He hated rap music.

Reaching for the mic, the older man (as well as the trio) heard soft keys play through the stereo, and abruptly Sam shot up, near-panic carved into his features.

“Wait, can we just skip this one?”

“Huh, why?” Tucker asked.

 “‘Cause I just picked this one as a joke, and I---”

As it played, the words came into Vlad’s mind.

He knew this song, and he knew it well.

“ _I could hardly believe it, when I heard the news today. I had to come and get it straight from you._ ”

The rebel teen threw himself back down on the couch, placing a hand over his face. “Lovely.”

“ _They said you were leavin’, someone’s swept your heart away. From the look upon your face, I see it’s true._ ”

The older billionaire’s voice was different from when he sang Bohemian Rhapsody; this time, it was deeper, and had a hint of melancholy to it. For Dani, it was already echoing in her mind, even though he had barely started. It was then that she realized that this song was powerful, even if she’d never heard before.

“ _So tell me all about it, tell me ‘bout the plans you’re makin’. Oh, tell me one thing more before I go…_ ”

_Wait a second, I think I **have** heard this before…_

“ _Tell me how am I supposed to live without you, now that I’ve been lovin’ you so long? How am I supposed to live without you? And how am I supposed to carry on, when all that I’ve been livin’ for is gone?_ ”

When he began, Vlad had closed his eyes, letting his music guide his voice. Just like Sam had earlier, the businessman allowed the song to pull him in whatever direction it needed him to go, but somehow, it seemed even more natural than with the goth. Perhaps it was because he was classically trained, or was he just more conformable?

Either way, his deep, velvety voice---coupled with a pained longing in his tone---captivated the trio, Dani even more so. There was something that was connecting with her, reaching into her heart and threatening to yank it out or cradle it.

She wasn’t sure.

“ _Too proud for cryin’, didn’t come here to break down. It’s just a dream of mine is coming to an end._ ”

_No…_

“ _And how can I blame you, when I built my world around, the hope that one day we’d be so much more than friends?_ ”

_That’s not…_

“ _I don’t wanna know the price I’m gonna pay for dreaming. Oh, even now it’s more than I can take._ ”

The young heroine held her fists to her chest, clenching the fabric of her t-shirt tightly.

_But this…this is how I feel…this is what I’m afraid of…_

“ _Tell me how am I supposed to live without you, now that I’ve been lovin’ you so long? How am I supposed to live without you? And how am I supposed to carry on, when all that I’ve been livin’ for is gone?_ ”

The blue-eyed girl’s heart felt like it was going to break. This song put into words how she’d been feeling ever since she found out she was in love with her mentor. Every single day, she feared he wouldn’t return her affections, and she’d be forced to live in a world where he didn’t love her back. For indeed, how was she supposed to move on when her heart was so devoted to him?

And there was something in his tone that suggested he felt the same thing, or had experienced something similar, at least. His voice was too powerful---you couldn’t fake the kind the passion he was emitting, the raw emotion he was invoking.

Then he opened his eyes, staring **directly** into Dani’s own, wide ones.

“ _Now, I don’t wanna know the price I’m gonna pay for dreaming. Oh, now that your dream has come true._ ”

“Ah…” she uttered quietly.

“ _Tell me how am I supposed to live without you, now that I’ve been lovin’ you so long? How am I supposed to live without you? And how am I supposed to carry on, when all that I’ve been livin’ for is gone?_ ”

As the music faded out, Dani felt tears rolling down her cheeks. It was as if he was singing that song to her, communicating a deep-rooted longing to have her stay by his side. After all, he had looked **right at her**.

Tucker was in complete awe, jaw practically to the floor. Sam, on the other hand, looked like he was regretting every life choice he had ever made.

Nonchalantly, the bachelor placed the mic down and walked back over to the couch, placing himself beside his little badger again.

He was wondering how she felt about his impromptu performance. Was she amazed? Did she catch the deeper meaning?

Of course, with a song like that, it would be a challenge **not** to recognize the deeper meaning.

_I’ve essentially laid my heart out on a silver platter, waiting to see if Danielle will take a bite. Butter Biscuits, I hope I haven’t just made a huge mistake._

It seemed all bets were off. Surely the half ghost heroine would pick up on it---after all, the title of the song was literally How Am I Supposed To Live Without You.

The meaning was pretty definitive.

Gazing at his protégé, the older half ghost attempted to surmise her feelings about all this, but saw only tears. She was wiping them away, but there was no hiding it.

Why had she been crying? Was it simply because of his exquisite voice?

_Though I would be flattered if that was the case, I sincerely hope that that’s not it._

The young girl rubbed her eyes with the sleeves of her hoodie, doing her best to rid her features of her tears. Thanks goodness she didn’t wear eye-liner.

Or any makeup, for that matter.

Despite her mentor’s performance, she still had doubts. As she surmised back on Halloween, she had a feeling that she would need a verbal confession in order to be 100% certain that he was in love with her. Although, she had to admit, this was a definite step in the right direction.

“Wow…that was incredible, Vlad!” Tucker gushed. “You sounded just like Michael Bolton!”

“Thank you, Tucker, but I greatly doubt that my talents come anywhere near his.”

“Oh shut up, you were fantastic!”

He laughed. “Well, again, thank you.”

The rebel chose not to say anything, but it was fairly obvious what he was thinking.

“I mean, you were so good, you brought Dani to tears--- **literally**!”

The billionaire looked at his pupil again. “I noticed.”

She sniffed. “Whoops, didn’t mean to spoil the mood,” she said in an attempt to make light of her emotional state.

“That’s quite alright, Danielle.”

“But, I have to ask…” the techno whiz began, turning to look at Sam.

“Must you?” the nonconformist questioned.

“Yes. What did you mean when you said you picked that song as a joke?”

The goth face-palmed. “Can we not go there right now?”

“Why?”

“‘Cause I don’t want to talk about it right now,” he stated with irritation building in his tone.

“Yes, Tucker, let’s let it go. If Samuel doesn’t wish to discuss it, then we shouldn’t.”

“Oh, don’t even pretend to care,” Sam remarked with a scowl.

The tycoon merely offered a politician’s smile as a form of reply.

The younger half ghost cleared her throat and sniffed, clearing out the last of her stuffed senses. “I think our time in almost up, should we get going?”

“Yeah, I gotta be home in half an hour anyway,” the geek agreed, taking her bag and rising.

Sam followed suit, but didn’t say a word, instead opting to make for the door as quickly as possible.

When Dani rose, she bumped into Vlad’s leg. “Oops, sorry,” she said in apology.

“It’s alright.”

They made eye-contact again, but the teenager was unable to hold it for long. This prompted the businessman to chuckle and, against his better judgement, ruffle her hair. Her raven tresses were as soft as he remembered, satiny and smooth like silk threads. He could also make out the faint scent of strawberries.

She also seemed so small, gazing at the floor as she was. Her shoulders were arched, signifying that she was tense, and her face was pink, not quite red, but getting there (again). Her bosom was amplified by her shirt---something Vlad hadn’t noticed until now. The garment was thin, covering by her bubblegum hoodie, but since it wasn’t zipped up he could see just how generously the plain grey V-neck accentuated her breasts. And because he was taller than her, he could see very clearly down her shirt.   

Oh, he had to have her **now**.

He swallowed hard and reached for her shoulder, but then the techno whiz turned to the two half ghosts.

“We definitely need to invite Vlad next time we do this, huh Dani?”

“Y-yeah, totally!” she concurred with a smile, strolling over to her friends afterward.

Mentally snapping his fingers, the billionaire joined them, and they exited the room and left 7 Sirens entirely, with no one in the lobby noticing the extra member among the original trio.

Once outside, the party of four walked down the block, headed in the direction of Dani’s neighborhood (seeing as the teenagers lived in the same general area). All the while, Tucker gushed about how much fun it was, with the ghost girl chiming in to give a comment of her own, always in agreement. The goth remained silent, as did Vlad, for they were both too busy watching the peppy young girl to contribute to the conversation. The bachelor radiated with worry---he still didn’t know how his dear little one felt about everything, and for all her knew, she was very well aware of his feelings. Was she just taunting him? No, that wasn’t in her character. Could she have, perchance, not picked up what Vlad had put down? Was she truly that dense?

Then again, since she was a teenager, she might be worried about overthinking his actions. That much she has alluded to him before.

As they walked, Tucker noticed a billboard in the distance, one that depicted a man in dark makeup and a mini black bowler, who was holding a red staff with a bat on the end, supporting what looked like some kind of crystal ball.

“Oh yeah, you got the tickets for Circus Gothica, right Sam?”

The rebel finally looked away from Dani. “Of course I did. I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

“Circus Gothica?” the tycoon inquired with a raised eyebrow.

“Yeah, it’s this really cool circus that’s coming to Amity Park this week. It’s super weird and macabre---” Tucker explained, only to get cut off by the young heroine.

“And super creepy,” she said with a smile.

“---And super creepy!”

“Ah ha,” the silver-haired billionaire vocalized skeptically. “Well, forgive me for not understanding the appeal.”

“What? But your ghost form is basically a vampire! You’d be right at home there!” Tucker argued. 

“He’s **not** invited,” the nonconformist asserted with a glare.

“Ah come on, Sam!”

The young girl looked up at her mentor, mouthing the word “sorry” when he returned her gaze. To answer, he merely smiled, essentially telling her that it was no big deal. Besides, he had to allow his little badger to spend time with her friends without him around.

No matter how much he didn’t want to.

“So, when is this circus?” he asked.

“I think it’s this Friday,” the ghost girl recalled. “It’s being held at the train station.”

“Oooo I just can’t wait! I live for the creepy stuff!” the computer geek enthused.

“But wouldn’t it have been more appropriate to hold this event around Halloween? It’ll be Thanksgiving in just a few weeks,” Vlad commented.

“They were supposed to come in mid-October, but it got delayed.”

“Ah.”

Dani stared up at the sky, taking in the blushing hues of the sunset. “I just hope we won’t have too much homework over the weekend, ‘cause that would ruin it.”

“No kidding,” the techno geek affirmed. “Especially if its English. Lancer loves to assign long-ass assignments for the weekends.”

“The solution to that is simple,” Sam started. “Get it all done.”

“By Saturday? I don’t think so.”

“Besides, if we have math too, I’ll be sunk,” the heroine proclaimed, shaking her head.

“Perhaps I could lend a hand?” Vlad offered. “I minored in mathematics in college.”

“Really? What was your major?”

“Business.”

_Of course it was._

“I appreciate it, but I don’t want to be a bother,” the young girl admitted, sporting an awkward smile.

“Please, Danielle, didn’t I tell you that you’re not a burden to me? If you were, I would have made it very clear.”

Having Vlad remind her that she wasn’t a nuisance to him? Sweetness. Having him offer to tutor her? Double sweetness.

“I guess if you don’t mind, then,” she murmured, butterflies swarming in her gut at the prospect of spending even more time with her mentor outside of training.

“It would be my pleasure, Danielle,” he declared, holding his chin up high.

“Maybe you could help us out too?” Tucker asked. “That is, if we needed it.”

“Of course, Tucker, I’d be more than happy to assist you should you require my services.”

“I’ll bet,” Sam scoffed under his breath.

Another chilled breeze blew passed, causing the group to shudder. Luckily, they were not without the appropriate attire for such weather.

Though Vlad was still minus one scarf, and still wishing he had grabbed one on the way out the door that morning.

“Do you need any help with your homework today?” he inquired, putting his hands in the pockets of his trench coat.

“Nah, it’s just History and Art today, nothing too difficult,” the raven-haired heroine stated.

“Very well, just let me know when you need help.”

“Will do,” she replied with a smile, her cheeks pink from the cold air, and from her glee.

They all continued walking through downtown Amity Park, footsteps in tandem with each other’s as they talked about a myriad of things, like typical high school concerns: for instance, homework and tests. They also discussed the fact that winter was coming and how Tucker couldn’t sing if her life depended on it. Sure, it was a bit rude, but it was all in good humor, and the party of four laughed about it all the way back to Fenton Works, where Vlad parted ways with the teenagers. Though Dani was sad to see him go, she looked forward to seeing him again for training and when she needed help with her next math assignment.

Because she knew she would need it.   


	2. Chapter 2

The young heroine sat at her desk in her bedroom, cheek resting on the faded Hickory surface. Sprawled out in front of her was a blank, two-sided worksheet and several sheets of notes from her Algebra class. Her textbook sat to her right, opened wide to the chapter covering Rational Functions.

All of the math problems swam around in her head, giving her a headache. Normally, she wasn’t too bad at factoring, but for some reason, she was having quite the difficult time trying to find the domain of the problems she was given for homework.

And there were a lot of them.

She thought that perhaps her brain was fried, and she was just having a hard time focusing. Or, maybe she was just stressed out since her teacher had told her that she would have to take a make-up test because she bombed the last one?

One thing was certain, if Dani was going to attend the circus with her friends on Saturday **and** prepare for the make-up test next week, then she needed to start taking this homework seriously.

With a groan, she rolled her head to the other side, gazing at the textbook. It was only Thursday, but the half ghost had decided to get her most challenging subject out of the way so that she could focus on her other homework the next day, therefore allowing herself the time to go to Circus Gothica.

But now that seemed to be little more than a piper’s dream.

Again, Dani had to ask herself: why did they have to add the alphabet into mathematics?

No doubt Tucker and Sam were already finished with their math homework and were relaxing for the evening. Even though they didn’t have math class on Fridays, they had all agreed to do their homework this week as soon as possible, in order to be free for the weekend, although Tucker wasn’t too happy about this plan. Even though she was smart, Tucker wasn’t someone who jumped into her school work right away. The computer geek preferred to “ease into things”, as she put it.

“If I was as good at this as she is, I’d probably feel the same way.”

Sitting up, Dani’s baby blue’s bore down on the empty worksheet, glaring at it like it had dishonored her family.

What was she to do now? She couldn’t just throw in the towel, not matter how much she wanted to. The raven-haired girl knew that she had to work through this, to keep pushing until she understood the material.

“But I don’t get it. I just don’t get it. I don’t even get what I don’t get anymore!” she whined, slamming her head back down on the desk. Plus, it was late, she was tired, and she could hear her parents working on something in the lab.

And boy was it distracting.

Then she sat back up again and shook her head, almost violently. She could do this, she wasn’t a complete idiot. She could figure this out, right?

Dani stared at the first problem again, pencil in hand, ready for that magical stroke of genius to manifest in her brain and guide her hand through it.  

She ended up staring at it for 5 whole minutes.

“Argh!!”

The young girl leaned back in her seat and tilted her head up to the ceiling. It made no sense to her why this was so hard. She had all the notes, she had the textbook---so why couldn’t she figure it out?!

Then she remembered something: “ _Very well, just let me know when you need help_.”

_Well, I **did** figure that I was going to need help at some point. _

But did she really want to bother him? After all, it was already 8 o’clock at night. Maybe he was enjoying a nice evening at his place, reading a good book by the fire, or watching a Packers game.

And after all, he deserved to have a quiet evening like that---he had been training her since she got out of school, and she only left his house at around 7. A break for the older man was well warranted.

Did she **really** want to bother Vlad with something that was probably so simple, he’d roll his eyes at her incompetence?

_O.K., brain, I doubt that’s how he’ll see it. He was the one who said I shouldn’t hesitate to ask, and he even told me that I wasn’t a burden._

Besides, if she wanted to attend Circus Gothica with her friends, she needed to nip this homework in the bud now.

Pulling out her cellphone, Dani opened up her texts, and saw the last one she sent to Vlad. Smiling at the memory of the karaoke session, she began typing another message, already feeling her stomach twist and dance.

After spending way too much time on it, she sent her text: // _Hey, so I think I need that help sooner than expected_ //

Immediately, she set her phone down, feeling the anticipation and nerves taking hold of her body. Her leg bounced continuously, giving her the appearance of having restless leg syndrome. In an attempt to distract herself, she looked out the window, seeing the neighborhood bathed in mid-fall darkness. The streetlights were on, decorating the block with orange spheres that left purple afterglows in Dani’s vision. Blinking them away, she began to wonder if her mentor was also looking out a window, taking in the same night she was.

Of course, his own personal view would be of someone’s immaculate front lawn, or the gorgeous pool in his backyard---which Dani fully intended on using at some point, by the way.

Unexpectedly, the silver device vibrated, created a jarring sound against the desk. Though she was startled by the sound, the ghost girl’s heart pounded because of her uncertainty. How had he responded?

Only one way to find out.

Flipping the phone open, Dani read the billionaire’s reply: // _Of course, Danielle. I’d be more than happy to help._ //

The girl’s sigh of relief sounded more like a moan.

// _Awesome, cuz I really need it. I just don’t get the material at all!_ //

// _Fret not. I’ll be over in a few minutes._ //

“Wait, what?”

Why was he coming to her house?

// _But wouldn’t it make more sense 4 me 2 come 2 u?_ //

// _You have a 10’clock curfew, correct? We wouldn’t want you getting in trouble with your parents again._ //

// _Tru, but wat about u? How will u explain showing up to my house at this time of night?_ //

// _I’ll use my powers to get inside, and if someone happened to come into your room, I’ll just turn invisible._ //

// _I guess you could do that_ //

// _I believe that is one of the perks of being a half ghost ;-)_ //

She smiled sweetly at the screen. That damn winky face.

// _Yup, I believe ur right on that 1_ //

// _Of course I am, Danielle. Aren’t I always right?_ //

“That Frootloop,” she mumbled tenderly.

She was about to send another reply when a spiral of fuchsia mist appeared in the center of her room. Within a matter of seconds, Vlad Plasmius stood by the end of Dani’s bed, a grin etched into his blue features. Despite the fact that she had seen him only a couple hours ago, the young heroine felt just as delighted as she would be if she hadn’t seen him in days.

And this showed in her baby blues.

“Now then,” the tycoon began, clapping his hand together. “What seems to be the trouble?”

The teenager giggled. “What are you, a psychologist?”

“Mm, now that you mention it, I think I’d make quite the good psychologist,” he stated, bringing a hand to his chin in mock thought. “I can read people fairly well, and I’m much smarter than most of my own peers.”

“So, you’re saying you could cut it as a doctor who basically tells people everything that’s wrong with them?”

He looked right at her. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”

This time she laughed. “You’re full of it!”

“Naturally,” he teased with a smirk.

He watched her as she smiled at him, both in good humor and playful disbelief at his arrogance. She seemed so huggable then; with that cute expression and her relaxed body language, his little badger looked so enduring it was almost painful. Indeed, when she texted him asking for help, he was more than willing to lend a hand, but he knew that having her over at his place would be dangerous. He was barely able to control himself during their training sessions that week, finding that he was holding back far more than just the desire to embrace her. If he permitted her to come over to his place for the second time---at **night** \---he knew the temptation would prove too great.   

Her having that curfew was just a convenient coincidence.

“In any case, what do you need help with?”

“Oh right,” she said, swirling around back to her desk. “It’s Rational Functions. We’re supposed find the domain, but I can’t get it.”

“Well, why don’t I have a look?”

The businessman walked over, leaning over his pupil’s shoulder once he was behind her. He remembered taking similar courses in college, although they were a lot more complicated. He noticed that she started to work on the first problem but had erased what she wrote.

“What were you trying to do?”

“Honestly, I don’t even know,” she confessed, sounding exhausted. “I was just trying to jog my memory, if that makes sense.”

“You mean you were hoping that if you started trying something, you would figure out how to work through it as you went?”

“Yeah, kinda.”

“I see,” he said with a nod. “Well, give me second here…”

He leaned a little closer, igniting the butterflies in Dani’s stomach. She focused her gaze straight at her homework, hoping to distract herself from the looming presence of her true love.

This was in vain, of course.

She took deep breaths, trying to keep her cool. With Vlad silent, she felt awkward, but she knew it was only on her end; the billionaire was busy going over the math concepts in his head, while she was mentally falling apart by his mere closeness.

_One sided-feelings are the pits._

Her heart thumped in her chest at an increasing rate, being the reaction to the tension she felt. She knew her face was getting red but hoped that the dim lighting in her room would mask the burning shade her cheeks were exhibiting. And with Vlad’s attention on the homework, maybe he wouldn’t notice anyway.

It was a hope.

Gulping, the young girl dared to glance at the enchanting bachelor. Luckily, his eyes were indeed on the work in front of them, warranting a mental sigh in relief. Out of the corner of her eye, Dani watched her mentor, studying his bone structure---seriously, who had she not noticed his sharp-as-glass cheekbones? She also found herself quite taken with the way he looked over her school work, with his face so serious and focused. There was little wonder how he did so well in his chosen profession.

Given this, there was little wonder how he was so proficient in everything he did. When it came to ghost powers, his skills were top notch, and concerning his baser instincts, Vlad was brilliant at keeping them at bay, save for a few incidents (namely, the Desiree thing). He had been holding them back for quite some time, and given how passionate he was under her spell, doing so was definitely an impressive feat.

He must have noticed her looking at him, because he looked in her direction, head following after his eyes.

“Danielle?”

“Y-yes?”

“What is it?”

She glanced at his black-gloved hand, which he had placed on the desk when he leaned over. “N-nothing, I’m good.”

She wanted to take that hand in hers and hold it close. She wanted to hug his arm and snuggle up next to him.

She wanted to be with him.

And it was killing her.

Stomach cartwheeling, Dani shifted in her chair, making it emit a soft squeak. She was supposed to be focusing in her homework, not longing for her One and Only!

Now she was worried that “The Need” would rear its ugly head once he left.

The older man blinked. Though his face was perfectly calm, his insides were doing barrel rolls. His chest rose and fell at a relatively normal rate, but he could feel his heartbeat increasing little by little. He itched to touch her again, to feel her soft skin under his fingertips. The businessman, once again, felt himself becoming unraveled.

There was still a part of him that was amazed that his little badger held such power over him. If she wanted, she could order him to do just about anything, and he would do it.

He wanted to give her world, he wanted to give himself over to her, he wanted to keep her locked up, he wanted to do everything with her.

He wanted to be with her.

And it was killing him.

Plasmius swallowed hard, turning back to the math work in front of him. If he was to help his dear one, then he needed to get himself together.

“Well, what’s the part that confuses you the most?” he asked, attempting to keep his desires in check.

“Uh…all of it,” she answered shyly, refusing to look away from a single spot on her desk.

“Mm. Do you know how to factor?”

“Yeah…sorta…”

“Well, let’s have a look at the first problem,” he suggested, taking Dani’s mechanical pencil and bringing it to the worksheet, but as he brought it under the desk lamp, his red eyes went wide.

It was navy blue.

Vlad’s lips parted, but no words came out, for he was in too surprised to say anything. It was the pencil he had leant to her before the reunion. It was the pencil that lead her to him in the first place, one of the things that had started their current relationship.

It was as special to her as his own desk was to him.

He noticed how worn it had become in the last few months, with its brand logo nearly scratched off and the eraser almost completely worn down. In essence, this indicated that she’d been using it since the day he gave it to her.

The tycoon’s heart soared.

“Vlad?”

“Mm? Oh, my apologies,” he said, shaking his head. “Now then, if we just factor this function and solve for x, then we’ll have the domain.”

“How?”

“Let me show you,” he began, writing down the problem on an empty space in her notes. “This function is a fraction, so we need to take the denominator and make it equal to zero, that way we can find out which values can’t be plugged in to x.”

“O.K.,” Dani muttered, still in slight confusion.

Then he wrote down the denominator separately from the original function and added “= 0” to the end of it.

“Wait, so you don’t touch the one on top?”

“The numerator,” the older half ghost corrected. “And no.”

“Ohhhh!” she said in revelation. “I think that was what was tripping me up.”

“Good, I’m glad to see you understand. Now…” He trailed off as he continued with the problem, solving for both x’s and giving Dani two different values. “See? These are the numbers that x **cannot** be, and therefore, you have the domain.”

“Oh wow, I didn’t realize it was that easy,” she sighed, looking over her mentor’s work.

“You’re tired, it’s easy for you to miss things. Why don’t you get some rest? You really worked hard today,” he advised, also alluding to her progress during their session that day.

“I wanted to finish this assignment before tomorrow, though,” she explained, suddenly yawning mid-sentence.

This caused Vlad to chuckle. “I think you need to go to bed.”

“You go to bed,” she countered with a hint of snark.

“See, you’re so tired you can’t even come up with a better come back,” he stated with a smirk.

“Yeah well…whatever,” the teenager responded, her pride feeling just a little bit attacked.

He chuckled again. “Come now, don’t tell me you’re going to disrespect the advice of your favorite---and much wiser mentor?”

She crossed her arms. “You’re my only mentor, ya Frootloop.”

“All the more reason for me to look after you in the best way possible,” he enlightened, standing up straight and gesturing toward her bed.

She groaned, like the kind of groan a grumpy child gives his parents, and proceeded over to the bed. When she approached, she turned around and plunked herself down on the light pink comforter.

“Thanks, you really saved my butt there---not that I’m thinking about butts! I mean, I’m grateful that you helped me out.”

“Of course, Danielle. I told you that I’ll always be willing to help you, no matter the issue,” he reiterated, decreasing the distance between them.

“I know, but you didn’t have to come all the way over here, so…”

“Teleporting renders that position null and void, Danielle.”

“And you totally got to teach me how to do that,” the young girl pointed out. “Teleporting, I mean.”

“All in due time, my---” He stopped himself, realizing that he was about to say something rather compromising. Although, for all he knew, she was already aware of his feelings for her, given what transpired at the karaoke place---especially when coupled with the Desiree incident.

_Well, we are alone right now…_

_No, Plasmius, you’re still not certain of anything. What if you’re wrong? What if Danielle really hasn’t picked up on it? It would be best to just leave the subject be for now._

Never mind the fact that the timing was perfect and that he was desperately striving for the truth.

“Well, I guess I can work on it in the morning, I just need to get up a bit earlier,” the young girl planned, kicking her legs back and forth and looking at her exposed knees (she was wearing a pair of gym shorts that she changed into when she got home).

The eccentric bachelor nodded. “Yes, that would be wise.”

“Again, thanks, it really means a lot to me.”

The older man bit his lip. “It is of no consequence, Danielle.”

_I have to do something… **now**. _

_No! What happened to that iron-forged will of yours? You can hold on just a bit longer._

_But for how much longer?!_

“Vlad?”

The man was ripped from his internal argument, focusing his gaze back on Dani.

“Um…I…I don’t really know how to say this, but…” she stammered.

His eyebrows went up and his lips parted.

_What is it? What is she going to say?_

Was she going to confess her feelings for him? No, that was wishful thinking. She was probably just trying to thank him again. Perhaps she was going to elaborate further?

“I’m just so grateful to you, and not just for my homework. You’re doing so much for me, and I…well…it feels really nice to have someone to depend on, not that I’m short on people to depend on. It’s just…it’s nice that it’s **you** , you know what I mean?”

Vlad swallowed again. “Are you referring to the fact that I’m a half ghost, like yourself?”

“A bit, yeah. We’re the only two of our kind, and it’s nice that we’re working together, that you’re helping me anyway you can.”

The tycoon wanted to embrace her.

So.

Bad.

“I just really appreciate all that you’re doing for me,” she proclaimed, her cheeks flushing a quaint shade of pink.

“Danielle…” he muttered breathlessly, his heart feeling like it was about to soar out of his chest.

“A-and I…” the heroine mumbled, tucking her fists in between her thighs. “I just hope that I can repay you someday.”

_I can think of one way you can repay me._

Vlad shut his eyes for an instant, mentally chastising himself for even having that thought. Although, there was a growing part of himself that was caring less and less about his discretion.

He needed to leave, otherwise he would risk losing everything he had been working so hard for.

“I appreciate your words, little badger, more than you know,” he declared, offering her a tender smile.

The smile that she loved so.

“R-really?”

“Yes,” he said, taking another step closer to her.

Now he was right in front of her.

“And you don’t have to worry about repaying me,” he continued. “I’m not looking to get anything out of you.”

“So, should I assume that you’re actually doing this out of the goodness of your heart?” she asked in a cheeky tone.

In response, he chuckled darkly. “Well, maybe not completely.”

Dani chanced a glance at the billionaire, immediately being caught in his sultry gaze. Once again, she saw her reflection in his blood red orbs. She felt the heat rise in her face once more, realizing that she probably mirrored a bright red tomato.

It was getting harder and harder to distance herself. The girl had promised that she would not act on her desires, and wouldn’t reveal her true feelings, but it was getting more and more difficult to do so. Given everything that had happened between them, she would be a fool to deny that there was something going on, something deeper than just a mentor-pupil relationship. It felt like something was building, growing into something warm, tender, safe. She knew how she felt, but it was obvious that Vlad was feeling something too, based on the way he acted with her and the things he said--- **especially** if you take into account the whole Desiree thing.

Or was she just overanalyzing?

As much as Dani was sick and tired of second guessing herself, she couldn’t help it. Just because she felt this way about the older man didn’t he felt the same way about her.

_Am I just projecting again?_

Still, looking into his crimson orbs, it was hard not to think that maybe, just **maybe** there was something there.

She could always dream.

“So, uh…” she mumbled, shifting in her seat on the bed.

Plasmius cleared his throat and leaned away, much to Dani’s disappointment. “Well, I have to get going. I have another important meeting in the morning.”

“Conference call?”

“Exactly.”

The older half ghost walked over to the window, simultaneously fighting back the urge to stay behind. Letting out a quiet sigh, he turned his head back to his adorable little protégé.

“I’ll see you soon, Danielle,” he stated with a smile.

“Mm hmm. Bye,” she replied, offering him a cute grin.

Vlad’s heart skipped a beat, but he ignored his deepest desire. Turning intangible, he flew out the window and into the night sky---the stars surrounding him like diamonds.

Dani jogged over to her window to watch him go, feeling both sad and content at the same time. She rested her chin on her arms, which she laid across the windowsill.

“See you later, Frootloop.” 

 

 

***********

 

Amity Park’s train station was more like a disused railway, with its dilapidated railroad ties, weed-infested tracks, and distinct lack of trains. After it had been shutdown in the early 80’s it had become a home for misguided teenagers looking to find validation in like-minded individuals. Now, the goths, emos, and other black-wearing social outcasts gathered at this secluded location to share stories about how their parents didn’t understand them, or how society was a cruel and unaccepting place.

So naturally, this was the perfect place to hold a circus that was dedicated to these types of kids.

Catering to every freak and geek that walked on the dark side, Circus Gothica featured a plethora of logic-defying displays and stunts that would cause any ordinary man to faint. Even the set-up of the circus was chill-inducing; several coal-black tents were erected around the main tent, which prominently displayed the name Circus Gothica in bold, eerie red letters. It also had the design of a skull with piercing red eyes, with the opening of the tent serving as the jaw of the skull. In fact, skulls and skeletons seemed to be a motif with this circus, for they could be found all over the place.

In the background sat a green and black train, with different horror-related designs painted or carved on each car.

As expected, goths from all walks of life littered the station, just itching to get inside and experience on the world’s most terrifying and spectacular shows, although you wouldn’t know it, given the blank looks on their faces.

Such is what Dani thought as she stood in line, observing the crowd around her.

_Wow, I’ve never seen so many goths out in direct sunlight, though I guess the sun will be going down in a bit, here._

The main event was scheduled for 7’o clock, and since it was fall, the sun would be long passed the horizon by the time it began. It just appeared that every goth in town wanted to get there earlier to save their seats, or something to that effect.

The young heroine turned to Sam, who was practically on cloud nine; his eyes sparkled with enthusiasm and his lips were curved into a big smile, a look that was not normal, or expected, of him.

“You better be careful, or the other goths will see you and kick you out,” the half ghost warned with a smirk.

“Oh please, we never turn on our own like that,” he dismissed, waving his hand.

“You sure about that?” Tucker asked, leaned over from behind Dani. “I saw two goths duking it out earlier ‘cause one of them brought their ‘normie’ boyfriend.”

“Then that other goth was just being a prick,” the rebel insisted, narrowing his eyes. “We are accepting people.”

“Ha! Right, tell me another!” the computer geek laughed.

“I’m sure Sam’s right, Tucker. I mean, you don’t see anyone harassing us, do you?”

“Relax, Dani, I’m just messin’ around,” the techno whiz stated, smirking.

“Oh man, I just can’t wait to get inside!” the nonconformist enthused. “This is gonna be the best day on my life!”

“Yeah, but you know what would make this even better?” Tucker asked.

“What?”

“Cotton Candy! Imma go get some!” she proclaimed, booking it over to a concession stand to the left of the main entrance.

“Just don’t be alarmed by the color! Goths don’t like pink or light blue!” Sam reassured, using his hands to form a makeshift megaphone.

“It’s black, right?” the heroine inquired.

“Duh.”

“Right, dumb question.”

The line inched forward, allowing the two friends to move a bit closer to the big tent. With anticipation rattling both their stomachs, Dani and Sam beamed as they took brief steps in the direction of the looming, dark pavilion.

“We’re almost there!” Sam stated with glee.

“Well, kinda,” the young half ghost stated, indicating with her arm just how long the line was. “We’re barely even at the half way point.”

“Hey, I’m closer to it now that I was yesterday,” he put forth.

“Good point.”

Gasps erupted from the head of the line, prompting Dani and Sam to lean over. Entering into the tent from a side entrance (one that was in full view of the numerous patrons) were various performers of all manner of sizes and shapes, with each of them being more macabre than the last. One of them, a type-rope walker, moved on the ground like a spider, with her arms and legs twisted at unnatural angles. Another was a bulking man, who looked like his muscles were pumped with steroids mixed with protein shakes. Then a dwarf walked inside, followed by a hooded figure dawning a red cloak.

“Wow, this is going to be **awesome**!”

“It’s gonna be **something** ,” the young girl remarked, her raising both eyebrows.

As the last of the performers entered the tent, the line moved forward again.

“I can just taste the darkness now!”

“Are you sure that’s not the hot dog you had before we got in line? ‘Cause that thing had some questionable sauce on it.”

“I told you, it’s just ketchup with black food dye,” the goth insisted with an eyes-closed assertion.

“Still, kinda gross,” Dani commented.

“Whatever. I’m just happy Circus Gothica is finally here, and I’m happy you came here with me,” Sam stated with a meek smile.

“Of course I came, Sam. I really wanted to go to this circus.”

“I know, but…given everything that’s happened between us, I would understand if you didn’t want to come. That, and I was worried that you may’ve wanted to spend your time with Vlad.”

The girl’s expression turned surprised. “Well…I really wanted to come, so I wasn’t gonna **not** come just because I also want to be with Vlad more often. I do still, but I wanted to do this even more.”

“And I really appreciate it,” the rebel teen declared in gratitude. “Even though I still don’t understand what you see in him, I’m glad you were able to put that aside and come here tonight.”

“I made a promise,” Dani began. “So I wasn’t gonna break it. Our friendship means the world to me Sam. I didn’t want to put that in jeopardy.”

The goth beamed.

Then, just as he was about to speak, the red search lights at the entrance to the circus came to life, as did the ones surrounding the circus grounds. Over the loudspeakers came a mysterious voice, with a slight English accent: “Greetings everyone. Welcome to Circus Gothica, where your fears come alive, and the clowns never smile. Welcome to the den of darkness, the residence of repellence, where the freaks are proud to display their prominence. The show, the show of a lifetime, is about to begin, so please, don’t hesitate to make your way into the main pavilion---if you’re not too scared, that is.”

“Oooo, this is it!” Sam gushed.

The line moved forward, this time more quickly---a telltale sign that they were finally allowing more people in. As Dani and Sam advanced to the entrance, Tucker came running up on their side, three cotton candies in hand.

“Sorry ‘bout that, lots of people in line,” she gave.

“No worries,” the heroine responded. “At least you’re here now.”

“C’mon! Let’s get inside!” the goth urged, dragging Tucker back into the line as they walked further.

Now at the cusp of entry, all three teens felt the rush of enthusiasm in their guts, the butterflies coming to life. Sam, who was in front of the girls, saw the interior of the tent first. It was tall, wide, and dark, with the reoccurring color block of red and black striking across the tent’s roof and the barrier of the seats that separated them from the arena. The type-rope hung high off the ground, with the suspicious lack of a safety net.

However, that was most likely intentional---meant to inspire a sense of dread in the audience.

Once Dani saw this, she thought the same thing. Surely they wouldn’t **actually** put their performers at risk?

Right?

Right.

They filed in, finding their seats in the dead center of the middle section. Sitting down, the trio gawked at the sheer number of people already inside, making them realized just how many goths actually showed up to this thing.

There was no way Amity Park had this many goths.

_Maybe some of them came from other towns?_

As more piled in, Tucker chewed away at her cotton candy, but not before handing Dani and Sam theirs. The ghost girl looked at the unnatural color and winced. It was still far too weird for her to put in her mouth.

Though the rebel didn’t seem to have an issue.

Setting her cotton candy aside, the young heroine glanced up at the type rope again. They were probably going to attach a safety harness to the performer, but perhaps one that wouldn’t be easier visible to the audience. The goal was to freak people out, after all.

Chatter filled the space as more and more seats were filled, making the pop-up venue seem smaller and smaller. Looking around, Dani caught glimpses of shadows darting back and forth above the tent, causing her to narrow her eyes. Perhaps it was just birds?

Suddenly, all the lights went out (not that were many to begin with). In a matter of seconds, the room was completely quiet, and then a single spotlight shone down on a solitary figure; a man wearing a black suit with a red button up, black silk bowtie, red n’ black bowler, red earrings, black boots, and a dark trench coat. In his left hand he held a staff, one that looked exactly like the one featured on the billboard Tucker saw earlier in the week. His head was down, but then he looked up at the crowd, addressing them in the same voice that was heard over the loudspeakers: “Hello, my fellow outcasts and outsiders. Welcome, to Circus Gothica!”

The audience watched him intently, as if captivated by his mere presence. His smile was charming, alluring---in its own way. His movements were fluid, casual, yet mystifying. As he talked, he opened his arms out, and gazed at the spectators with wide, almost otherworldly red eyes.

Dani thought that at first, those red orbs might have been contacts, and they probably were, but there was something about him that almost made her doubt that.

He **was** wearing makeup, so wearing eye color changing contacts wouldn’t be too out of place, but again, there was something that made the heroine doubt this assumption.

“I’m Freakshow, the ringleader of the world’s greatest---and darkest---circus, the circus that no man has ever left the same as when they walked in---untainted, that is.”

Like everyone else, the young half ghost heroine couldn’t help but by drawn in by his soothing, yet mysterious voice. Or maybe it was the accent.

“Tonight, we have a lovely---or shall I say **terrifying** menagerie of acts for you to enjoy. First of them all; the disturbing talents of our own death-defying type-rope walker!”

Pointing up with his staff, Freakshow signaled to everyone to focus their attention to the roof. Doing so, they saw a lanky woman with very pale skin, standing on one end of the type-rope on all fours.

They gasped, realizing that there was no net present. But surely, she was attached to some kind of safety mechanism?

Where was that harness?

_I don’t see one, but maybe it’s there…it **has** to be. _

Suddenly, the type-rope walker began her trek across the flimsy, braided fiber. Crawling at an abnormally fast pace, the performer kept everyone on the edge of their seats---the trio included---watching her with vested interest and dread.

Freakshow glanced around the audience, a conceited grin painted across his grey features. Being able to milk every cent out these kids’ allowances was fine enough, but he was also satisfied with the knowledge that soon, very soon, he would come face to face with Amity Park’s famed ghost girl.

She had been the whole reason he had come to this town in the first place. When he had first heard of her, he realized that he would be an absolute fool if he passed up the change to add her to his service. From the information he had his minions collect, Dani Phantom was Amity Park’s resident guardian, protecting its citizens from various supernatural threats. She was also supposed to be quite powerful---after all, she was reportedly able to best Penelope Spectra.

This ghost girl was something else, and in Freakshow’s mind, the perfect slave to bend to his will. With her under his control, he could acquire far more wealth than he had been able to obtain on his own.

Taking money out of the pockets of misguide adolescents was one thing, but having one more pair of paranormal hands to help make “withdrawals” from bank vaults would be much too enticing to ignore.

In fact, having Dani Phantom around for the last heist would have made the whole operation go far more smoothly. In fact, because of some minor issues with the job, they had to postpone their arrival in Amity Park.

In the end, however, it all worked out in Freakshow’s favor, which was just the way he liked it.

Eyes scanning the horde of breath-holding teenagers, the grey ringmaster found one particular group of kids that stood out. One of them blended in with the black-wearing crowd, but his friends were most definitely **not** goths. One of them was wearing a red beanie, yellow blouse, green jeans, and a pair of white stud earrings. The other was much plainer; wearing only a pink t-shirt and ordinary blue jeans.

Although, he had to admit, her long black hair looked very glossy.

He blinked, watching this one with little interest none the less.

_Though she sticks out like a sore thumb here, she’s just like every other teenager on the planet._

Then he glanced back at the type-rope walker, observing her as she made her way to the other side with no issue whatsoever. The audience gasped in awe, and immedicably started clapping and cheering.

Another thing Freakshow enjoyed doing was the nearly impossible things in life---getting goths to express **anything**.   

“And if that wasn’t impressive enough,” he began, addressing his adoring crowd once more. “How about a nail-biting showdown between man and beast!”

Gesturing to the far left with his staff, Freakshow drew everyone’s attention to a pitch-black area of the arena, only for it to be illuminated by another spotlight. Standing there was the bulky man, but he wasn’t alone.

He was standing several feet away from a rather irritable-looking lion.

No one in the audience spoke, for they were too enraptured---and worried---to utter a sound.

As the man and lion circled one another, Freakshow chuckled to himself, crossing his arms and tapping his forearm. It amused him so, watching his slaves act according to his will. He couldn’t wait to subjugate Dani Phantom in the same way.

Abruptly, the lion charged at the man, but he dodged by barrel-rolling out of the way, inciting more gasps from the crowd.

The young heroine was scared and excited all at the same time. She was concerned for the bulky, oddly pale man, but she couldn’t help the primal exhilaration that was blossoming in her chest. There was something about gladiatorial matches like this that brought out the morbid fascination in humanity, and the ghost girl was no exception.

When the man leaped over the lion, everyone----including Dani---nearly screamed. But once it was clear that the performer was O.K., the young girl ended up smiling from ear to ear. Turns out, coming to this show was the equivalent of a drop ride at an amusement park.

_Adrenaline junkies would love this!_

Suddenly, Dani’s ghost sense went off, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw the hooded figure from earlier. Standing just behind the curtain, the figure’s face was just visible enough for the heroine to notice that her skin was green.

“Uh oh,” the mumbled.

“What is it?” Tucker asked.

The ghost girl pointed, with the computer whiz’s gaze landing on the hooded woman.

“Ohhhh. You gonna go your thing?” the other girl inquired.

“Yeah, I just need to find some cover first,” she stated, looking around the tent. It was dim, so hopefully no one would notice her getting up and leaving.

Rising, Dani maneuvered her way through the crowd as delicately as possible, until she reached a set of steps that led backstage. She sneaked around the corner, but not without a certain ringleader spotting her. Furrowing his brow, he walked over, with every intention of reprimanding her. How could she just pop backstage like it was alright for her to do so?

Did children not have manners anymore?

Freakshow pushed part of the curtain away, seeing the teenager in full view. He opened his mouth, about to deliver sweet reproach upon her, when twin white rings manifested at her midsection. They rose and descended over her body, turning her hair white, eyes green, and her clothes were traded in for a black n’ white jumpsuit.

Now, she was Dani Phantom.

The girl flew into the ground, vanishing from Freakshow’s sight.

His eyes were wide, astonished. He couldn’t believe it. He just couldn’t comprehend it!

The ghost girl had been in his midst the whole time!

“It can’t be…” he said in complete and utter shock. “The ghost girl…Dani Phantom…is a half ghost?”

Half human…half ghost…

This was unprecedented! She was the bridge between the paranormal and the normal, the usual and the strange! She was the best of both worlds!

“She’s…she’s…” he stammered, his eyes suddenly adopting a predatory-like light, and his lips curving into a disconcerting grin. “She’s **perfect**.”

He knew, right then, in that moment, that he had to have her, and not as just as slave to his will.

“No, I have to have her at my side. This is…she’s the embodiment of everything I…”

His heart was racing, his breathing becoming shallow. The ghost girl was far more than just a potential minion---she was too great to be denigrated to the status of a meager servant!

“She’s too grand, too perfect. Dani Phantom is…” he paused, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. “She’s everything I’ve been looking for.”

 

*********

 

The man had the lion by its hind legs, holding in down until it stopped thrashing. Though the crowd cheered, Sam was left with a bitter taste in his mouth. It was wrong for such a beautiful creature to be treated in such a way, mocked and exploited for the enjoyment of arrogant humans. The goth had come into this show with the highest of expectations, the best of moods, but now he just wanted to get the hell out of there.

He looked over at Dani, only to realize that she was gone. Had she been insulted by this display too?

“Hey Tucker, where’s Dani?”

The techno geek turned to him. “She went to deal with a ghost.”

“A ghost?”

Unexpectedly, Dani came sailing into the arena, landing on her back. The audience gasped, and the lion jerked in fright. The bulky man rose from the king of beasts, suddenly shedding its corporeal form and revealing it’s translucent green skin and dead eyes. Every single spectator (minus Sam and Tucker) shouted in fear, but made no move to leave the venue. Apparently, they thought it was all part of the show.

The large ghost made a b-line for the young heroine, who quickly launched to her feet and dove out of the way. Then the hooded figure phased through the tent, coming from the same spot where Dani had been thrown from. It pulled it’s hood down, also disclosing her appearance for all to see. She too was green-skinned, but had spikes for hair, numerous piercings, and a plethora of tattoos covering entire her body. Her otherworldly red eyes focused on the young half ghost, glaring at her intently. She spread her arms wide, and her tattoos came to life; each one flying off her body and soaring at Dani, attacking in her in the form of a barrage. In response, the teenager put her arms up in a guard, but then the larger ghost body-slammed into her, sending her to the ground.

As the tattoos encircled her, the young girl curled into a ball, generating an energy burst that blasted the tiny nuisances off of her.

The crowd was screaming now, fully realizing that this was just too abnormal, even for them. They were evacuating in droves, leaving the entire venue in absolute chaos.

“We gotta help Dani!” Sam implored with a determined expression.

“After you,” Tucker invited.

The two descended the stands and leaped into the arena, all the while witnessing their friend grapple with the two ghosts.

The white-haired heroine produced balls to ecto-energy in both palms and chunked them at her opponents, hitting the tattoo guru as the bulky ghost dodged. In response, the ghost then summoned a whip, one sparking with electricity, and hurled it in the girl’s direction. She tried to move out of the way, but the end of the whip wrapped around her ankle and shocked her, sending excruciating volts through her petite form. She shrieked, falling back unto the ground with a thud.

“Dani!” the rebel cried.

The peppy teen grabbed the whip and yanked it forward, effectively pulling it off while simultaneously tugging its wielder closer. Now with him careening toward her, the ghost girl reared her fist back and delivered a powerful punch to her adversary’s jaw.

He grunted in great discomfort, shutting his eyes and falling to the ground, baring his teeth at the dirt.

“Holy crap dude, are you O.K.?” Tucker asked in concerned inquiry.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” the heroine replied, throwing the whip to the floor.

“What’s going on?” Sam wondered. “Does Circus Gothica employ ghosts?”

“I don’t know, but when I went to ask sunshine over there, she attacked me out of nowhere,” Dani explained, indicting to the other ghost with her thumb.

“Either way, this isn’t a good sign, and I already had a feeling this place was no good, given how they treated that lion.”

“Yeah, and I’m starting to get the feeling that this circus is a lot more than we bargained for.”

As if on cue, both ghosts charged at the trio, with the larger of the two sitting up suddenly and seizing Sam and Tucker, whereas the other launched more of her tattoos at the ghost girl.

“Guys!”

“Dani, look out!” the nonconformist yelled.

She turned around, seeing the volley of sentient body art coming right at her. Luckily, she rolled out of the way this time, inciting an irritated grunt from the cloak-wearing ghost. So in response, she increased her speed, reaching the green-eyed girl and grabbed her by the arm. The tattoos started to circle them, forming a cyclone around them and barring them from view.

The goth, thoroughly panicked, thrashed around in his captor’s grip. “Leggo dickwad!”

The computer geek kicked her legs, but to no avail. It was clear that the two of them were trapped, unable to escape.

The tent was complete empty now, besides the brawling girls and the captive humans.

However, now with everyone gone, Dani didn’t have to worry about people getting hurt.

She blasted her opponent in the chest, sending her clear out of the cyclone. Turning intangible, the teenager flew after her and landed blow after blow, blast after blast. Eventually, after several minutes of this, the cloak-clad ghost fell into a heap on the ground, with her tattoos returning to her.

This caused the larger ghost to use Sam and Tucker as human projectiles; angered by his comrade’s defeat, he tossed the two in Dani’s directions, hoping they would slam into her and knock her down. Instead, the young heroine caught her friends in her arms and set them down safely.

The bulky ghost roared in agitation and raced toward the white-haired half ghost again, but she was able to avoid him by sinking into the ground, making sure to give him a shift wave as she went.

This pissed him off even more.

Sam and Tucker rushed back over to the stands, electing to stay out of the way. They watched as their friend came back up and fired a continuous blast of energy at her last opponent, serving to weaken him.

He crumpled to the floor, grunting in irritation and pain as Dani’s attack bore down on him like a heavy weight on a scrawny nerd.

“Get ‘em, Dani!” the geek cheered on.

And she did just that; she ceased her attack, but only to zoom down and kick her enemy square in the face.

His eyes slide shut as he fell limp against the dirt, prompting the heroine to suck him inside the Fenton Thermos. She then did so for the other ghost.

While she did this, her friends came over to her.

“We should probably check to see if the other performers are ghosts too,” the goth suggested.

“Yeah, I was thinking the same thing,” the computer whiz agreed with a nod.

“Then let’s hurry,” the young half ghost urged, moving as if to take flight, only to be stopped by the sound of clapping.

The trio looked over to the backstage entrance, seeing Freakshow emerging from the shadows with a smirk on his face.

“Well done, ghost girl. I’m quite impressed,” he stated.

“What’s this all about? Why do you have ghosts working for you?” she interrogated, furrowing her brow.

“What can I say? I’m quite found of ghosts. In fact, my family has had ghosts in our employ for generations. They’re so eager to serve,” he explained smugly.

“Why do I get the feeling you’re not telling us everything?” Sam questioned. 

“Ha! If I were to tell you all the answers, then how will you ever learn anything?” he mocked, pointing the staff in the goth’s direction. “And kids these days are already quite dim as it is.”

“Excuse me? You callin’ us dumb?” Tucker accused in an agitated tone.

“Ah, looks like at least **one** among your generation has a few brain cells left.”

“What’s that?!”

“Not now, Tucker,” Dani lectured, never once averting her eyes from Freakshow. “So what are you after? What’s your game?”

“Quick to the punch, aren’t we?” he inquired, seemingly charmed. His eyes even took on a whole other light.

It made the ghost girl feel uncomfortable.

“Well, sorry to disappoint you, but my plans aren’t so grandiose; they’re quite simple, actually,” he enlightened, strolling over to the half ghost heroine. “But once again, if I were to reveal everything to you, then you’ll never learn on our own.”

“Who says we care?” the rebel teen put forth, taking a cautionary stance. There was something he didn’t like about this.

Not in the slightest.

“Well, I can’t say that your concerns matter to me, because it isn’t important in the end,” the grey ringmaster proclaimed, ceasing his strides. He was now a couple feet away from Dani. “Any further attempts to stop me will be met with failure.”

“We’ll see about that,” the white-haired heroine declared, adopting a battle stance on her own.

“Oh, now Dani, there’s no need to be so cautious in front of me,” Freakshow said soothingly, his expression morphing into a calm, tender visage.

“You…you know my name?” the girl asked in shock…and worry.

“Indeed, child. I know much about you, even more now than I did before,” he explained. “I was so surprised, I never imagined that the ghost girl was **half human**.”

All color in the teenager’s face drained and her eyes became as wide as dinner plates.

_Oh God…did he see me go ghost?!_

“I was so amazed,” he started, taking another step closer. “Never in all my years of living did I expect to meet someone like you. To be frank, dear, I’m humbled.”

There was something in the way he said “dear” that set off all the alarm bells in Dani’s mind.

Sam’s too.

Now he was only a foot in front of her. “To think, that someone as unique as yourself actually exists, why, it makes my heart pound.”

“I-I don’t care what it does to you,” the young half ghost said in apprehension. “Just…just stay away---”

“How can you ask me to do that?” he inquired with a smile. “After learning what I have, how can I be expected to just let you go?”

Panicked, the young heroine threw a fist at Freakshow, but he was able to catch it, startling her **and** Sam and Tucker.

“So feisty, but you should take care,” he warned, yet still smiling, which made it even more chilling. “Striking me will result in severe consequences.”

“What, you’re gonna attack me?”

“Oh no my dear, not me: my minions. They’re very protective of me, you see,” he said with a bright smile.

“Get your hands off of Dani!” Sam protested, dashing over to Freakshow.

“No, don’t!” the young girl implored, but her words fell on deaf ears. Sam advanced further, but as soon as he was at the heroine’s back, he was blasted by ecto-energy. In shock, the half ghost looked above and behind Freakshow, seeing the dwarf from before, as well as the type-rope walker, only they were in their true forms.

“I did try to warn you,” the grey ringmaster said with a shrug.

“Sam!”

Tucker ran to their friend, finding that though his side was slightly burned, the rebel was nevertheless unharmed.      

“Is it bad?”

“No, it just stings like high hell.”

“Sam!” Dani cried again before turning back to Freakshow, fury in her neon green orbs. “You---!”

“Now now, that’s no way to talk to your new boss, your new **master** ,” he warned in a calm tone, a smile still plastered in his face. He held up his staff, the red energy inside swirling like a hypnotic mist. “You need to remember where your place is---at my side.”

The white-haired half ghost strained to pull away, but once her eyes locked onto the staff, they slowly mirrored the energy inside.

“My…my place?” she uttered in a distant tone.

“Yes, love,” Freakshow began, stepping just a little bit closer, effectively closing the distance between them. He lifted a hand and stroked the back of Dani’s head comfortingly. “Your place is at my side, **forever**.”

“My…my place…is at…your…?”

Sam collected himself enough to recognize what was going on. “Dani, no! Fight it! He’s trying to trick you!”

The computer geek glanced over at the scene, anxiety welding in her gut. “Dani!”

“Don’t listen to them, Dani, they’re attempting to tear us apart,” the ringmaster said in low tone. “Remember: you belong to **me**.”

“I…” The red spirals vanished from the young half ghost’s eyes, only now, her irises were red, making her eyes seem cold. “I belong to Freakshow.”

“Dani!” the nonconformist cried in desperation. “Dani! Don’t listen to him!”

“How cruel, trying to separate us like this,” the grey ringleader scoffed, shaking his head and holding the young girl closer to him. “Minions, deal with them.”

The two ghosts dove for Tucker and Sam, with the latter still crying Dani’s name. However, the girl paid no notice, and instead stood and stared at her friends blankly. Then Sam and Tucker were taken by each of the ghosts and thrown from the tent, forcefully.

Once they were out of sight, Freakshow peered down at the ghost girl, a tender smile playing at his lips.

“Well, now that they’re out of the way, how about you go help my minions relieve the grounds of any remaining stragglers?”

She looked up at the grey ringmaster, eyes coming to life in a new way; they shined with a submissive, yet adoring glow.

“Whatever you say, Freakshow,” she said, twirling a lock of her hair.

The ringmaster bellowed with laughter, fully satisfied that the ghost girl was now his to claim, to keep beside him forever.

Outside the big tent, the goth and the geek lay on the ground, recovering from being manhandled in such a way.

Spitting out a clump of sand, Tucker regarded her friend with great worry in her tone: “What’re we gonna do now? Dani’s under some kind of mind control!”

The rebel teen’s purple orbs burned with anger. “I’ll tell you what were gonna do: we’re gonna get Dani back and kick Freakshow’s ass for this!”

“But how? We don’t have any ghost powers, and Dani still has the Fenton Thermos!”

“We don’t have any powers, but we know someone else who does,” he reminded, as much as he was loathed to admit it.

“Oh, that’s right, Vlad!” the techno whiz exclaimed. “Then we need to hurry!”

“Yeah, let’s get moving.” 

The two got up and bolted off the circus grounds, with Tucker queuing up the billionaire’s number on her PDA. If there was anyone who could help them---anyone who could help **Dani** , it would be Vlad Masters. Or perhaps, in this case, Vlad Plasmius.    


	3. Chapter 3

The business mogul reclined in his favorite chair in the living room, his eyes skimming the latest in Amity Park news. Even though it was almost 8:30 at night, he enjoyed reading the newspaper whenever he could and since the rest of the day had been dedicated to work, Vlad wanted nothing more than too detox. Especially after a long day of responding to emails and calling the Boards of each of his companies for necessary updates.

In addition, he had just ended a huge merger with Axion labs, with him becoming the new owner of the security and technology conglomerate.

Indeed, he deserved a relaxing night to himself.

Releasing a satisfied sigh from his nose, the eccentric bachelor turned the page to the comics section. After not finding any of them particularly funny, he read on to the editorials, discovering an article about Dani Phantom.

“Hmm, this should be interesting,” he said to himself.

According to the article, the ghost girl was quite the polarizing figure. On the one hand, many found her presence to be alarming, simply wishing that she would go back from whence she came, but on the other, she was seen as a beacon of hope, a ray of light in a town so plagued by ghostly phenomena. 

But of course, the author had to ruin it with her own negative input, agreeing with those who saw the girl as just another ghost looking to stir up trouble.

The older man scoffed. “You people have no idea what your talking about.”

It peeved him so, reading the opinions of simpletons who held nothing but contempt for his little badger. It didn’t make any sense to him; she had saved the city time and time again, and yet still so many people doubted her intentions.

It was truly frustrating.

But Dani didn’t seem bothered by this. She had once told him that she wasn’t looking for praise, and that she didn’t need an incentive to do what she thought was right, besides that fact alone.

He smiled, recognizing just how pure and kind his dear girl was.

_Indeed, she could put the Christ himself to shame._

Although, he already knew this. The older half ghost already knew his dear pupil was a person of stellar character, always trying to do what was right by other people, as well as making sure she never put herself first. Was she perfect at this? No, but at least she recognized that fact and attempted to limit the number of times it happened.

Since he had begun living in Amity Park, Vlad became aware of most of Dani’s habits---the good and the bad---and found that her pension for assisting others was one of the biggest ones. Even when she wasn’t defending the city from supernatural baddies, his adorable protégé was helping the people around her anyway she could. The billionaire suddenly found himself recalling an incident where she had helped an elderly lady cross the street, which occurred right after one of their sessions together. Ever since, that lady has asked about Dani whenever she walked by the tycoon’s house.

Which was every other night. Apparently, she has a routine regarding which route she took for her evening walks every day.

His little badger was also prone to unknowingly seducing him, which was one of her more vexing (and endearing) habits. It seemed that everything she did could rile him up, excite him in some way. When she smiled, when she laughed, when she looked at him a certain way---with those eyes of hers, which he longed to hold with his own, forever. When Dani fidgeted shyly, it ignited his predatory desires, when she spoke to him so casually, it made his body feel light.

And when she was progressing with her powers, pride swelled in his heart.

It would be an understatement to say that she was perfect. No, in fact, it would be inaccurate; she was everything.

The girl was flawless, in spite of her flaws---it was actually because of her flaws that made her so faultless. The young heroine was perfect in her imperfection.

Sighing again, this time dreamingly, the billionaire removed his reading glasses and closed his eyes while leaning the back in his chair, a smile painted across his handsome face.

Thinking about the younger half ghost always either left him restless or happy, or somewhere in between. Right now, however, he was happy, blissfully, stupidly happy.

Sure, in a few moments he would probably feel the anxiety that goes along with loving someone who’s feelings are still unknown to you, but he would sit in his ecstasy for just a bit longer.

“I wonder if Danielle’s having fun at that circus,” he pondered out loud. “Perhaps she will tell me about it at a later date.”

Though the actual show itself didn’t interest him, he was looking forward to hearing it from her; he was anticipating her beaming expression as she regaled him with tales of the various acts and performers. He could just picture it---her captivating blue eyes and her radiant smile, as well as her manic body language.

Feeling a warmth kindling in his heart, Vlad’s smile widened. He believed that nothing could ruin this moment, this heavenly mood of his.

Then his phone vibrated.

Reaching into his breast pocket, the tycoon wondered who would be calling him at this time of night. Was it Danielle?

Once his cellphone was in his palm, he noticed that the caller ID was from a number he didn’t recognize.

At least, at first.

“Isn’t this Tucker’s PDA?”

Suddenly, apprehension built in his stomach and coursed through his veins. Dani’s friends didn’t contact him unless something was terribly wrong.

Flipping it open, the bachelor brought it to his ear. “What happened?”

“Vlad, you gotta come to Circus Gothica, quick! It’s Dani!” the computer geek’s panicked voice implored.

“Yes yes, just tell me what happened to her,” he requested impatiently.

“The ringleader Freakshow hypnotized her with some kind of staff, and now she’s under his control!”

“Is she hurt? Is she injured?”

“No, but she’s totally brainwashed!”

“You need to get here, now!” Sam’s voice ordered, clearly agitated.

“Tell me exactly what happened,” he entreated as he sat up, free hand gripping the arm of his chair semi-tightly.

“Freakshow knows that Dani is half ghost, and he said that he would never let her go. Then he used his staff to take control of Dani’s mind, making her believe that he’s her master!” Tucker explained.

“What?” Vlad’s tone was teetering on the edge of dangerous.

 “He saw her go ghost, and he---”

“He wants to claim Dani as his!” the goth interrupted. “He told her that her place was with him and that **we** were trying it tear them apart! Don’t you get it? He **wants** her!!”

The older man’s grip on the leather arm tightened significantly. His eyes glowed a deep red, with wisps of energy bearing the same hue wafting from them.

“And if you don’t do something, he’ll take her! He’ll take her away from you!”

_Never..._

_Never._

_Never!_

_NEVER!!_

Vlad shot out of his seat. “Where are you? I’ll be there shortly.”

“We’re by the park, Freakshow had his ghosts throw us out and soon they were after us,” the techno whiz enlightened.

“Very well, meet me at the east gate,” he bade, abruptly hanging up and transforming into Vlad Plasmius. Bringing his cape up and around him, the older half ghost vanished in a spiral of fuchsia light, rage brimming behind his blood red orbs.

 

**********

 

Tucker gawked at the nonconformist, disbelief written in her features. “What was that all about? I thought you didn’t like the idea of Vlad---”

“I don’t,” he cut in, gazing at his friend with determined eyes. “But I hate the idea of Dani being at the mercy of a lecher like Freakshow even more.”

“Amen to that.”

As quickly as one may utter “Fear me!”, the two teens booked it over to the eastern entrance to the park, essentially going back the way they came. As they sprinted down a hill, they noticed a swirl of fuchsia manifest at the bottom, with Plasmius standing there after mere milliseconds.

Once they reached him, the business mogul regarded them: “Where is the train station?”

“Its over that way,” Tucker pointed down the street. “It’s not too far.”

“Good. Grab on.”

Doing as instructed, they took hold of Vlad’s broad form, making sure their grips were tight. Then he sailed off in the direction indicated to him, razor sharp focus evident in his features.

“How are we gonna get back inside the grounds? The place is crawling with Freakshow’s ensemble,” the techno enthusiast pointed out.

“Getting past a group of ectoplasmic misfits is hardly difficult, Tucker,” the tycoon asserted in a cool tone.

“We just need to make it back to the big tent,” the black-clad teen established. “Then we find Freakshow and give him hell.”

The older billionaire glanced down at Sam. “Ironically, we appear to be thinking the same way.”

“Duh, we both care about Dani,” the goth addressed, meeting the man’s gaze. “And we both can’t stand the thought of anyone touching her.”

Plasmius furrowed his brow.

_So, he’s acknowledging our rivalry out loud, is he?_

“And I know you want to keep her safe, so you’d better not let her down,” Sam warned, ice lacing his every word.

The older man didn’t answer, but he didn’t have to. The message was clear, the aim obvious; nothing was going to get in their way of saving Dani; nothing was going to stop him from rescuing his dear girl.

Absolutely nothing.

Especially not some low-life calling himself “Freakshow”.

_If he’s touched her, done **anything** to her…_

_He won’t live to see the next sunrise._

Gone were the concerns of following human laws---Vlad didn’t care what the punishment, he would KILL the sniveling little worm with his own two hands. He would straggle the life out of him, taking his neck and cutting off the air flow to his lungs. From there, he would probably break that flimsy little neck, and proceed to tear him apart, limb from bloody limb.

No one was allowed to touch her.

No one was allowed to be with her.

No one was allowed to have her.

She was his, his and his **ALONE**.

_Danielle, just wait until I get there!_

Suddenly, appearing into view was the Amity Park train station; Circus Gothica. Narrowing his eyes, the tycoon increased his speed, closing in on the traveling travesty.

However, several ghosts littered the entrance as well as the sky above the venue, two of them being the ones that the trio faced off with earlier in the evening.

“Unbelievable,” Sam moaned. “Freakshow must’ve had Dani release the ghosts we already caught.”

“That is of little concern,” the older man dismissed. “They are but gnats waiting to be stepped on.”

“Then let’s show ‘um watcha got!” the geek encouraged.

With a single nod, Plasmius accelerated toward the gate, garnering the attention of the bulky ghost and the type-rope walker.

Once he reached the entrance, ectoplasmic energy was shot at him (courtesy of the larger ghost), but the older half ghost was able to dodge it with ease. Weaving passed the attack, he flew into the grounds of the circus and landed on his feet, giving the teenagers a change to let go.

The huge ghost and the type-rope walker dove for the businessman, who adopted a sour expression as he summoned a clear, rectangular fuchsia shield, which the two ghosts promptly slammed into.

Recovering, they rushed him again, this time with both of them flanking his sides. The type-rope walker’s arm stretched out, launching in Vlad’s direction, while the other ghost simultaneously manifested a whip. In response, the billionaire bared his fangs and evaded, using his leg to propel himself backward. Only now, the larger ghost proceeded to give chase.

Sam and Tucker raced over to the type-rope walker and threw themselves on her, distracting her from her current opponent.

“Hey, remember us?” the geek asked with a smirk.

She thrashed, unable to knock the two off her.

“Where’s Dani?” the rebel interrogated.

The ghost offered no verbal response, but merely continued to struggle. Then, abruptly, she took flight, taking the two teenagers with her.

They both shrieked, but held firm---after all, letting go would result in some serious bodily harm.

The type-rope walker zig-zagged, accelerated, deaccelerated, and did loo de loops, **anything** to knock the 16-year-olds off of her.

“Gee, you’d think she’d get at least a little sick by now,” the computer whiz commented.

“Don’t tell me you are,” the goth said with an exasperated look.

“Nope, not a little sick,” she began.

“Thank God.”

“Very sick,” she affirmed, covering her mouth.

“Wonderful,” Sam said in annoyance. “You’d better not throw up, or else the ghost’ll---”

The type-rope walker barrel-rolled, causing the two to scream. Holding on for dear life, Sam and Tucker shut their eyes as the ghost came up to one of the smaller tents, going intangible as she soared right through it. However, since her hands weren’t on them, the teens didn’t go intangible with her, and they ended up colliding with the tent and falling down to the ground.

Luckily, they weren’t harmed.

“We gotta go after her!” the techno enthusiast suggested worriedly.

“Who cares about her? We need to get to Dani,” the nonconformist stated with determination before looking over his shoulder at the main tent. “She’s still got to be in there.”

“But what about Vlad?”

“He can take care of the ghosts, that’s why we brought him here. Freakshow’s just a normal human, so we can handle him just fine.”

“But what if Freakshow uses Dani against us? We can’t stop her on our own.”

The rebel turned his back on Tucker, facing the tent fully. “Let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that.”

They began running to the main pavilion when countless green bats, spiders, skulls, balls of flame, and witches flew directly at them, stopping them in their tracks. Sam tried swatting at the tiny ghosts as Tucker attempted to duck underneath them, but their efforts were in vain.

The little apparitions---which they knew to be the tattoos of the other ghost they faced earlier---pecked and bit at their exposed skin, causing it to bleed. With a yell, the goth endeavored to shove some of them out of the way with his arm, but they only returned with a vengeance.

The geek fell to her knees, doing her best of cover her face with her arms.

Now what were they going to do?

With Vlad off fighting that other ghost---and most likely all the rest of them by now---and with Dani being under the ringleader’s control, who was going to help them out of this? Who was going to rescue them?

Sam shut his eyes and shook his head, trying to rid his mind of such thoughts. He and Tucker were going to fine, and they were going to liberate Dani from Freakshow, not matter what.

Giving up was **not** an option.

It never even crossed the rebel’s mind.

_I’m not gonna let these stupid things keep me from her…nothing is going to get in my way of saving her!_

He opened his eyes again, forcing himself to walk forward. Sure, Sam was just an ordinary kid in comparison to Dani---he had no ghost powers, and he certainly wasn’t very strong, but he would be damned if he didn’t fight back. He didn’t need special powers to aid him in this situation.

Besides, he had made a promise to never abandon his friend, and he wasn’t going to break it now.

“Argh! Tucker, you there?” he shouted over the hum of the tattoo ghosts.

“Yeah, I’m here!” she called back.

“Good, ‘cause I need your help!” he stated as he slowly turned around, feeling the force of the artificial wind created by the little apparitions beating against his lanky body.

“Sure thing, what do I gotta do?”

“Just walk toward me!”

And she did so, rising into a crotch and inching over to Sam, also feeling the wind against her form. However, in her case, the squall was at her back, so she had more momentum, and was therefore, able to reach her friend relatively quickly.

Once at his side, Tucker felt the rebel seize her hand in his, holding it firmly.

“What’s---”

“Just hang on to me, O.K.?” he recommended, his tone actually somewhat reassuring. “We’re gonna get through this!”

The computer geek felt oddly comforted, a sense of security building in her gut. She popped open one eye, and saw Sam’s determined visage, and observed how sturdy he was, despite the raging winds around them. He stood tall, confident, resolute, and there was something about the sight that made her heart thump.

“C’mon, lets find Dani!” he stated, walking forward into the barrage of sentient body art.

“O-O.K., yeah,” Tucker stammered, her face feeling a little warm.

 

**********

 

The business mogul weaved out of the way of the bulky ghost’s whip, thoroughly irritating the larger apparition in the process. He roared, sailing at Plasmius full throttle. Luckily, this was exactly what the cocky billionaire wanted.

Once his opponent was mere inches away, Vlad went intangible, causing the large ghost to fly through him and into one of the concession stands. Numerous memorabilia like Freakshow mugs, snow globes, and bobble heads fell on the ghost, hitting him in the head several times. With a moan, he lost consciousness, falling limp behind the counter.

With a chuckle, the older man turned back to the main pavilion, only to set upon by a dwarf and the type-rope walker.

The former leapt onto Vlad’ head, grabbing at his hair and trying to poke his eyes out. The latter, meanwhile, grew her arms out again and grabbed hold of the man’s body, trapping his arms against his sides.

He grunted and bore his fangs as he thrashed, emitting a frustrated snarl when he finally shot ecto-rays from his eyes, hitting the type-rope walker in the face while also injuring the dwarf’s hands. The little menace fell to the ground, behind the older half ghost, as the other ghost retracted her arms, freeing the tycoon.

Now feeling even more cantankerous, Plasmius blasted the type-rope walker before she could fully recover, thereby knocking her into the dirt. Then he turned to the dwarf and summoned a fuchsia cage to keep him from attacking again, warranting a protest from the little pest.

Satisfied that all the ghosts had been dealt with, Plasmius turned his attentions back to the main tent, and as he started flying over to it, he noticed a cloud of green encompassing a small area of the grounds. Though he couldn’t see inside, a knowing suspicion told him that the other two teenagers were most likely there.  

He groaned.

_Yet another distraction._

He soared down to the ectoplasmic mass, realizing that it wasn’t a mass at all; rather, it was a swirling vortex of miniature ghosts. It was then that Plasmius realized that there was still one ghost left to deal with before he could advance to the main pavilion. But surely, it would be a waste of time.

He could just leave now. Those children didn’t mean anything to him. He could just leave now, and no one would be the wiser. After all, his little badger needed him.

But she would despise him forever if he left her friends to meet their maker at the hands of an otherworldly threat.

The businessman sailed down to the sentient tattoos and summoned a ball of fuchsia flame, which he then spread with a wave of his arm. The fire split left and right, engulfing the tiny creatures as if they were no different than a line of gasoline.

In response, the little monsters screeched and flew up into the sky, attempting to distance themselves from the flames.

It didn’t work.

But luckily, Sam and Tucker were unharmed, and were staring back at Vlad in surprise and relief respectively.

“Oh Vlad, thank God!” the computer whiz exclaimed. “Am I ever glad to see you!”

“You may thank me later. For now, we need to make haste,” the older half ghost advised.

“That other ghost is still around here,” the goth pointed out. “She’s the one who was controlling those things.”

“Remind me never to get a tattoo, by the way,” the techno enthusiast added as she exhaled.

“Come, lets find her and end this farce,” the billionaire directed, shifting his gaze around the circus grounds. This “other ghost” had to be somewhere nearby.

The eccentric bachelor’s eye began to glow, emitted a blood red light, which allowed him to see into the various tents and other structures littering the train station. Many of them held pops and costumes, as well as numerous different gags and instruments, all of which were either black, red, purple, green, or a variation of the four.

As his eyes shifted to the far left of the station, he noticed the train, which appeared to have large sacks within a few of its cars. Narrowing his glowing orbs, Vlad focused on the large burlap sacks, and saw gold bars, jewelry, and large sums of cash inside each of them.

“I doubt those are from ticket sales,” he muttered to himself.

“What was that?” the geek inquired, cocking her head.

Vlad’s eyes returned to normal, though he continued to stare at the train cars. “It seems that this ‘Freakshow’ enjoys far more than just entertaining the masses. That train is practically bursting with riches, no doubt taken from banks and treasuries from around the country.”

“No kidding?” Tucker asked as her gaze followed Vlad’s to the train.

“Indeed. There has been a series of burglaries from multiple banks across the nation, many of them reporting thousands of dollars stolen.”  

“But that doesn’t make any sense. Why would Freakshow steal money like that? Circus Gothica is pretty successful all on its own.”

“Greedy people don’t need an excuse,” Sam chimed in, glaring at the train as if it offended his eyes. “Freakshow is a control freak---he wants to be in control of everything, whether it be money, public adoration, or Dani.”

The billionaire’s eyebrow twitched. “Quite.”

The group turned to the main pavilion, knowing full well that said control freak wasn’t going to hesitate for long. Surely, he knew they were there by now.

Perhaps he was readying for a full-scale assault?

“If we’re gonna find that tattoo chick, then we need to do it fast,” the rebel teen recommended, furrowing his brow.

“Nah man, lets just go after Freakshow,” Tucker disagreed. “We can deal with her if she happens to show up.”

“Which you know she will.”

“Exactly! So we’ll just deal with it then.”

“I concur,” the business mogul proclaimed with a nod, still gazing at the main tent. “It will be child’s play dealing with a pathetic excuse for a ghost, as well as her foolish ringmaster.”

With that, the three charged the big tent, determination etched into each of their features. Should Freakshow put up a fight, they would match it, should his ghost cause them trouble, they would best her. Nothing was going to sway them---nothing was going to get them to retreat.

It would have to take a whole army of ghost soldiers to stop Vlad from reaching his dear little protégé, but even then, would it really hinder him?

He didn’t think so.

The older man tore open the entrance to the tent, with Sam and Tucker right behind him as he dashed inside. None of the spotlights were on, so the entire space was cast in darkness. The stands were also empty, which was to be expected, but it added to the uneasy atmosphere of the tent. The two teens looked around, waiting for their eyes to adjust before calling out to their friend.

“Dani!” Sam shouted, using his left hand to amplify the sound of his voice.

“Dani, you in here?” the computer whiz asked, walking further into the arena.

“Dani!”

“Danielle!” the tycoon yelled.

When no response came, the group spread out, all walking to different areas of the arena. With the nonconformist heading for the stands and the techno geek backstage, Vlad wandered over to the type rope, opting to float up to the top. Once he reached the dubious rope, he narrowed his eyes.

_It would make sense for Freakshow to not have installed a safety net, after all, you can’t kill what’s already dead._

Drifting over to the left platform, the older half ghost surveyed the entire tent, and saw no signs of his little badger. He was beginning to feel disheartened, thinking that perhaps she and the grey ringleader may have already escaped by now.

And it that was the case, then how was he to catch up with them?

No, he would find her, no matter what it took.

_Even if I have to search the entire earth for you, I will, Danielle. Nothing else matters to me._

_No one else matters._

Suddenly, Vlad was hit by a beam of ecto-energy, sending him off the platform and into the ground. Startled, Tucker and Sam rushed over to his side, shock and concern written in their faces.

“Vlad, you O.K.?” the geek asked.

He rose, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yes, but that attack was---”

_Familiar._

“Look!” the black-clad teen exclaimed, pointing up at a hovering figure cloaked in shadow. As all three of them looked up, the figure manifested a ball of energy and hurled it at them. As if on instinct, the billionaire grabbed the two teenagers and dove out of the way, with the blast hitting the spot in which he was previously laying.

“What the heck?” the techno enthusiast shouted in confusion.

The businessman let them go and stood back up, facing the figure. “Just stay out of the way,” he ordered.

“You don’t have to be so rude about it,” the rebel mumbled as he and Tucker stepped over to the barrier of the arena, right under the middle of the stands.

Before Vlad could blink, his attacker zoomed toward him, wielding a rather sharp-looking scythe. Grunting in surprise, the older man leaped out of the way, only for the figure to pursue him. He then flew to the ceiling and turned intangible as his opponent fired another blast in his direction.

Now in a better light (even if the venue was already rather dim to begin with), it was clear to see the other ghost’s attire, which was a simple dark grey cloak with a hood, which was currently masking their features.

After that, the eccentric bachelor flew around the type rope in rapid succession, attempting to disorient his chaser. However, this appeared to backfire, as said chaser whipped around in the opposite direction, cutting Vlad off. With nowhere to go but forward, the tycoon turned intangible again and soared right through the other ghost. Once he was clear, he turned corporeal once more and dove back down to the ground, only to evade the dirt floor by a mere couple of inches.

However, the figure continued to give chase, shooting bolt after bolt of ecto-energy.

“I don’t get it,” Tucker began, raising an eyebrow. “Why doesn’t Vlad just attack this guy?”

Then the billionaire swerved back around and flew above his pursuer, ripping the hood right off as he passed.

Now in full view, the mystifying white tresses of Dani Phantom flew out from behind the cloak, and her piercing glare followed the older man as he landed a few feet behind her.

“Dani?!” the computer geek staggered.

“I guess that answers your question,” the goth commented, equally as shocked.

The older man turned around, facing his little badger. She was irritated, as evident by her deep-set frown. Those radiant eyes of hers glowed with an angry shine (and they were also red, which he was greatly concerned about), and her petite body stood in a battle stance, ready to attack him once again.

This was a sight the billionaire never hoped to see---his dear one, fighting against him, wearing such an expression on her youthful face. Looking at her now, it was hard not to interpret her behavior as malevolent, like she despised him. For indeed, it looked like she really hated him. He never wanted such an expression to be hurled at him, not by her.

But now, here it was.

It was breaking his heart.

But he remained firm, his own face not showing the building sadness he felt inside. He had to remember, after all, that she was under the control of another; that she didn’t actually hate him.

And if he had his way, she never would.

   The young heroine pulled her weapon back as she charged, seemingly intending to strike him down. However, Vlad was much faster, and he dodged her attack with ease. Then she zipped back around and tried again, emitting a disgruntled grunt as she did. Baring her teeth, she swung her scythe at him over and over again, but each and ever time missing the older half ghost.

“Argh! Just. Stay. Still!” she commanded was she continued with her barrage of attacks.

“Ah, as ever Danielle, your moves are sloppy, predictable,” the bachelor remarked, raising an eyebrow as he added: “Has my training taught you nothing?”

The girl growled. “I’ll show you predictable!”

This time, the ghost girl swung her scythe from below, almost slicing into her mentor’s suit. Luckily, the black-haired half ghost leaped backward to avoid serious injury.

_It appears she was ordered to fight me, or anyone else who intruded on these grounds._

When Dani came at him again, he turned intangible and sank through the floor. The young girl was clearly confused, and before she could think to follow him, he rose up behind her and grabbed her scythe, trying to pry it from her dainty hands.

But those hands had the strength of ten man.

She bared her teeth again and pulled her weapon back toward her, and he pulled it toward him. The two struggled to take the scythe from the other’s grasp, with both of them visibly straining.

_What’s going on? I should be able to pry this from Danielle’s grasp, but she’s somehow gotten stronger. Could it have something to do with Freakshow?_

Could his staff have amplified her abilities somehow?

Eventually, Vlad was able to wretch the weapon from his pupil, and tossed it away into the stands.

“You---!” she uttered in great infuriation, launching herself at him. However, this gave him the edge he needed, and he wasted no time in seizing her in a vice-like hold, gripping both her wrists and keeping her close to his body.

“No! Let go of me!” she demanded as she thrashed.

“Never again, Danielle,” he muttered, although she didn’t seem to catch it.

“My my, this is quite a little show,” a voice spoke out from the darkness. Vlad and the other two teenagers whipped their heads up to see the grey ringmaster emerge from the backstage area, with the tattoo ghost at his right.

“Freakshow,” Sam murmured with a glare.

“It seems my little grim reaper is without her sickle. How ever will she claim the souls of those foolhardy trespassers?” the ringleader asked no one in particular. “Lydia, why don’t you lend a hand?”

The ghost nodded, and flew over to the two half ghosts, summoning an energy blast and firing it at the older billionaire. He soared out of the way, of course---taking the young heroine with him. In reply, the girl shouted in rebuke, but he paid no mind.

As Lydia chased after the business mogul, Tucker and Sam looked at Freakshow, or more specifically, his staff. Sharing a knowing glance, they raced in his direction, intending to rip the cursed thing from his very hands.

When he noticed them coming, he adopted a fake surprised expression.  “Oh dear, looks like I have some adoring fans, but I’m terribly sorry children, I’m afraid there just isn’t enough of me to go around.”

His staff began to glow blood red as the mist inside spiraled, and suddenly the young girl’s eyes mirrored this.

“Dani, sweet thing, won’t you be a doll and deal with these runts for me?” Freakshow asked pleasantly.

The white-haired half ghost smiled menacingly in response. “Whatever you say, Freakshow.”

Then she turned intangible and flew from Vlad’s grasp, sailing directly towards her friends.

“Butter Biscuits,” the older man mumbled irritably, dodging more of Lydia’s attacks. Once he was given an opening, he dove for Sam and Tucker.

They both turned around, stopping in their tracks once they witnessed their friend zooming toward them, fists ablaze. As shock dawned on their faces, Freakshow smirked.

“Danielle, don’t!” Vlad beseeched.

But his call went unheeded, and the ghost girl fired an ectoplasmic beam at her friends.

“Damn it!” the tycoon cursed as he accelerated to the helpless teens, managing to grab them just in the nick of time. The beam, instead of hitting them, struck the ground right in front of the grey ringleader.

“Watch it, girl!” he reprimanded. “You don’t want to accidentally hurt your master, would you?”

Worry spread across the young girl’s face. “No, no I wouldn’t, Freakshow!”

He smiled. “Oh good. I’m sorry for being so harsh love, but you know how it is.”

The ghost girl nodded and smiled sweetly back. “It’s O.K., Freakshow, I deserved it.”

Vlad landed on the other side of the arena, a powerful glare carved into his face. As he stared at the dirt, his mind ran circles around itself, screaming and yelling. How dare Freakshow call her “love”! How **dare** he imply that his life was the most important thing in Dani’s own! And how **bloody dare** he make his little badger say something so---so---

_Pathetic._

_No, Danielle, you didn’t deserve that. You’re not some pitiful, submissive dog who does what ever she’s told! You’re a fighter, a challenger, a **teenager**! _

_Don’t let this disgraceful creature control you!_

His nonexistent blood was boiling. His primal instincts cried out for vindication. His eyes burned with the white-hot intensity of a thousand suns.

And they were also glowing.

Suddenly, he could feel it. The rage again. 

It coiled inside like smoke building up into the sky. It seared his heart and sent near painful-hot ectoplasm through his veins, just like before---with the Fright Knight. Growing ever stronger by the millisecond, Vlad’s animalistic anger threatened to devour him whole; body, mind, and soul.

Shaking his head, the older tycoon attempted to rid himself of the red that was clouding his sight. He theorized that it would benefit him to stay as calm as possible. Though he would surely relish in tearing Freakshow apart, he knew that he probably shouldn’t indulge this strange new power of his just yet. After all, it was still untested.

Moreover, what if he hurt Dani?

He didn’t want that.

He knew none of this was her fault, so catching her in his crosshairs would most certainly **not** do, no matter the circumstance.

Taking in a deep breath, Vlad closed his eyes and allowed all air to full his lungs (metaphorically speaking) and released a breath in a single, long exhale through his nose. He could feel his heart, which had been pounding with fury, was starting to calm down, and his corporeal body no longer felt as hot.

When he opened his eyes again, he found Sam and Tucker looking at him quite questionably.

“What was that?” the rebel asked with a raised eyebrow, sounding suspicious.

“You O.K.?” the techno geek inquired.

“I am well,” he replied, gazing back up at Freakshow and Dani, who were both staring back at him, smirking and glaring respectively. 

The older businessman released the two teens and then directed them back to the stands with a point. “You’re both in the way. I can’t act effectively if I have to keep saving you every five minutes.”

“I don’t recall asking for your help,” Sam protested. “And Dani’s our friend---you’re not the only one who cares about her, you know.”

“I **know** ,” he responded, furrowing his brow.

“Well, **I** don’t mind hanging out in the nose-bleeds,” the computer geek commented, taking her friend by the forearm and dragging him up the steps. “Just make sure you end this!”

“Of course, Tucker,” Vlad affirmed before facing his little badger again.

As Tucker and Sam took their seats in the front middle row, Freakshow swaggered up next to the ghost girl, slowing wrapping his black-gloved hand around her feminine shoulder.

“Well love, this has been fun an’ all, but I think its time to drop the curtain, don’t you agree?”

The young heroine’s glare morphed into a sadistic grin. “Anything you say, Freakshow.”

Without giving her mentor a moment to blink, the girl launched herself at him, while simultaneously manifesting energy rays in her palms. When she fired, the green beams soared toward their intended target, but said target merely crossed him arms and turned intangible. Had she forgotten who she was fighting?

With a dissatisfied growl, the white-haired half ghost reached Vlad and threw a few punches, all of which he avoided, having turned tangible again. He ducked, slid, and leaned out of the way, inciting frustration in his dear pupil once again.

“Would. You. Just---!”

The older half ghost bent at the knees and socked Dani right in the stomach, knocking all the air out of her. She gasped and quickly fell on all fours.

Coughing, she hugged her gut with one arm, feeling the burn of the strike.

“Like I said,” the billionaire began, his voice as cold as ice. “Sloppy, predictable.”

Dani gazed back up at him, fire ignited in her round orbs. She yelled, then threw herself on him again, this time tackling him to the ground. Except, he once again went incorporeal and sank into the dirt.

“ARGH!” she shouted, slamming her fist into the ground.

“You let your emotions dictate your actions, Danielle,” Vlad’s voice echoed, resonating in all four of their ears, though he himself was nowhere to be seen. “Didn’t I teach you to regulate your emotions while in a fight---to remain calm and properly assess the situation?”

In response, she merely snarled.

“Don’t let him bother you, Dani,” Freakshow offered. “He’s just afraid that’s he’s going to lose. After all, you’re the most powerful ghost in Amity Park.”

“Ha! Now if that isn’t a stretch,” the older man’s voice came again, this time rather amused. “Pray tell me, Freakshow, where ever did you hear such a ludicrous idea?”

“Oh please, it’s common knowledge to anyone who has an ear out of news concerning ghosts,” the grey ringmaster stated dismissively. “Dani Phantom was able to best Penelope Spectra in battle, and tales of that fight have spread all across the Ghost Zone, so naturally I would have heard about it.”

“So that makes her, by default, the most powerful ghost in Amity Park, just because she defeated a bottom feeding waste of ectoplasm like Spectra?”

“Watch it, Vlad,” Sam murmured in a warning tone.

“Let me guess then friend,” Freakshow started, crossing his arms and wearing a smug grin. “ **You’re** about to claim to be the strongest ghost in this backwater town.”

 “Not claim,” Vlad began, before abruptly materializing behind the ringleader and taking hold of his staff. “ **Am**.”

“O-oh my, it seems you’re quite the fast one, aren’t you?” he asked semi-nervously.

“It’s one of my many talents, and soon you’ll be at the mercy of **all** of them,” the older man threatened, sporting a deep frown.

“Well, I’m sure you have an entire box of supernatural tricks to use against me, but I’m afraid it doesn’t matter in. You can be as swift and flashy as you like, but you’ll never get passed Lydia.”

“Lydia---?”

Unexpectedly, the ghost in question appeared next to Vlad and grabbed his arm, turning him intangible along with her. Then she pulled the eccentric bachelor through the side of the tent, in the direction of the backstage area.

“Oh crud,” the geek muttered.

“He can handle her, but it looks like we need to step in again,” the rebel concluded, but as he rose, the ghostly tattoo guru flew back out of the side of the pavilion and slammed into the far-right end of the stands, going limb after groaning for a little bit.

“Never mind,” Tucker said in astonishment, pulling Sam back down.

The billionaire phased through the tent and back into the room as well, looking ever more infuriated. This was reaching the point of absurdity. He was going to smash that damned staff of Freakshow’s and free his little badger once and for all.

_I swear, I will end this if it’s the last thing I do._

Zooming back over to the ringleader, Vlad reached out for the staff, but the charismatic criminal rolled out the way, having been alerted to the other man’s presence once Lydia was tossed into the stands.

This, naturally, irritated the business mogul even more so.

It was almost as if Benny Hill was going to start playing at any time.

Then Vlad flew at Freakshow again, only to be stopped by an ecto-energy blast from Dani, who was still standing in the center of the arena.

“That’s right, good girl,” the grey ringmaster praised. “Protect me from that wretched fiend.”

“Anything for you, Freakshow,” the girl stated before rocketing toward her mentor, green energy brimming around her fists.

“Protect me---nay, protect **us**! They’re all trying to split us apart!”

“Never!” she proclaimed, firing at the older bachelor, who easily weaved out of the way of her attacks.

“That’s right love, **nothing** will come between us--- **nothing**!” As he declared this, Freakshow’s staff lit up once more, and Dani’s eyes corresponded as well.

“‘Nothing’,” she repeated, determination painted across her face.

“Danielle, this is wrong, surely you can see that,” Vlad said as he continued to evade her blows. “Freakshow is controlling your mind, putting words in your mouth. He’s merely manipulating you!”

“‘Nothing’!” she repeated again, as if to emphasize her resolution on the matter. It appeared that Vlad wasn’t reaching her.

“Danielle…don’t you recognize me?” he asked, hints of dejection evident in his tone.

“Oh, she recognizes you,” the ringleader started, smirking like a cocky businessman. “She just despises you is all.”

His heart sank.

But he wasn’t deterred.

_She doesn’t hate me. She’s never hated me. It’s purely a spell, an illusion, nothing more._

Though it hurt, it wasn’t real, and the older half ghost wasn’t about to lose to a bloody illusion!

“Now, be a good girl and finish him off, Dani dear,” the ringmaster ordered, rubbing some dust off the staff’s crystal ball.

“Whatever you say, Freakshow.”

Dani aimed a kick at the bachelor’s abdomen, but he caught her leg and tossed her over to the side. Recovering quickly, the ghost girl soared at him with more green energy engulfing her hands. Firing shot after shot, she thought only about destroying this meddling intruder. He was in the way---in **Freakshow’s** way---and she couldn’t allow that.

And once he was dealt with, then she would move on to her former friends, who were also trying to get in the way.

They were trying to separate her from Freakshow, but they would not succeed; nothing they did was going to split them apart.

Nothing.

She summoned an ecto-energy shield and chucked it at the older man, but unfortunately for her, he dodged once again. Could nothing pin him down?

“Dani!!” Sam’s voice yelled, grabbing the young heroine’s attention. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?! This is completely stupid!!”

The girl narrowed her eyes and stopped giving chase. “ **What**?”

“Why are you acting like you in love with Freakshow?! You’re **not** in love with Freakshow! You don’t even know him!!”

“Silence, boy!” the charismatic criminal barked, pointing his staff at the rebel teen.

“How can you love someone you’ve never met?! You didn’t even know who he was until a few months back when I told you!!”

“So? What’s your point?” the heroine questioned.

“You don’t love Freakshow, Dani!! You’re already in love with someone else!!!”

When Sam started addressing Dani, Vlad had also stopped to watch, but now his stomach felt tight. This was the **last** place in which he wanted to be reminded of that.

Simultaneously, the young half ghost was starting to feel a little dizzy. She gripped her head with one hand, emitting a quiet groan as she did this.

“Don’t you remember?! Your heart already belongs to someone else! Who is that?! Who’s that person you’ve promised your heart to?!”

“That’s enough!” the ringleader warned, his glared intensifying. “Don’t listen, Dani dear!”

“Who is he?! Who’s the person you dumped me for?! What’s his name?!”

“W-what…? W-who…?” the white-haired teenager responded, suddenly feeling a headache coming one, making her dizziness even worse.

“Yeah, Sam’s right, Dani!” Tucker called. “You’ve already got it bad for another guy---so bad, that you said you couldn’t ever love anyone else! You told us that, remember?”

“I…I…wha---?”

_What’s Sam talking about? I don’t love Freakshow? Of course I do! I’ve always loved him! I loved him since…_

_Since…_

_…_

_Don’t I?_

When she thought about it, she couldn’t remember a single time in her life where she felt anything **close** to love regarding Freakshow. In fact, she really **didn’t** know who he was, not until a few months ago, anyway.

But she still loved him now, so did that really matter?

“Dani, get a hold of yourself! You have to fight this, for the guy you **really** love!” Tucker implored.

“What’s his name, Dani?!” Sam pressed. “What’s the name of the guy you’re actually in love with?!”

“H-his name?” the ghost girl muttered. “I don’t know---”

“That’s quite enough!” the grey ringmaster spat. “Dani, deal with these fools once and for all! I command you!!”

“Dani! Remember his name! What is it?!”

“Dani, don’t give up!”

**_Dani! Dani! Dani! Dani! Dani! Dani! Dani! Dani! Dani! Dani! Dani! Dani! Dani!_ **

_S-Stop it!!!_

Sam, Tucker, and Freakshow’s words bounced around in her head, with her name being called over and over and over again. It felt like her brain was going to explode; the headache intensified, and it pounded like a heartbeat. In fact, it pounded in tandem with her **actual** heartbeat.

“B-be quiet, I’m trying to think!” she yelled, gripping the sides of her head with both hands. The more she tried to make sense of the noise in her head, the more her head hurt. It felt like a migraine mixed with a tension headache.

“What’s his name, Dani?! What’s his name?!” the goth pushed further.

The poor girl felt her knees buckle---definitely any moment now she was going to fall over.

Her head was totally abuzz, and she found that it was getting harder and harder to hear her own thoughts.

If she even had any left at all.

_I don’t…I can’t…I---!_

“Who is he?!”

The heroine shut her eyes, now with her fingertips digging into her scalp. Who was he? Who was the person she actually loved? They wouldn’t come to mind…

“What’s his name?!”

“SILENCE!” Freakshow screamed. “Dani, DESTORY HIM!”

“Sh-shut up!” the ghost girl bit back at both Sam and the grey ringleader.

Freakshow had just commanded her to destroy to friends---he wanted her to **kill** them.

Should she?

_No! That makes no sense! Why should I listen to someone I’ve never met? I…I don’t even love him!!_

And why would she? He certainly hadn’t given her a reason too.

Once she got her mind back together, Freakshow was going to be in a world of pain.

 _But who is it, the guy I actually love?_ _The name, it’s there…on the tip of my tongue…_

“What is it?!” the goth cried. “Tell me his name!!”

_His name---_

A murky picture came into her mind at last, as if to help remind her. There was a man, his back was to her. He had long bright hair, pulled back into a low ponytail, he was wearing a dark suit, and stood proud and confident.

Then he turned around.

His smile was soothing, warm, tender.

His eyes were navy blue.

The girl’s own orbs shot open.

_Vlad._

“Tell me, what is his name?!”

“It’s Vlad!!” Dani bellowed, shutting her eyes again. “It’s Vlad! It’s Vlad! It’s Vlad! He’s the one I love! He’s the one I’m in love with, not Freakshow!!”

The entire room was as silent as the grave. The wind outside beat against the pavilion and howled through the train station. A few leaves drifted into the arena, landing in front of the billionaire. His red orbs were wide, wider than they have ever been. Throughout the whole exchange, Vlad was monstrously worried. He kept thinking that he was going to hear his little badger call out the name of some insignificant child at school, or basically someone that wasn’t him. He couldn’t help the thought that maybe all his dreams were going to die here, with her words of declaration.

But they didn’t.

She was in love with **him**!

“What, what is this? This is free will? I don’t think so, ghost girl! I didn’t come all this way just to be lose this game! You’re mine!” the grey ringmaster decreed, pointing his staff in her direction. “Now, obey me! Terminate those meddling children and that other intruder!”

“No!” she responded, suddenly firing a bolt of ecto-energy in his direction. The beam collided with the staff and utterly destroyed it, breaking it into tons of tiny pieces.

As for the crystal ball, it was completely shattered.

Freakshow stared at what remained for his family heirloom, horror etched into his face. “Oh…Oh dear…”

“Dani!” Sam and Tucker called in unison, jumping from the stands and booking it to their friend.

Once they reached her, the younger half ghost opened her eyes again, and they were back to their original green hue.

“Thank Sega you’re back to normal,” the computer whiz said in relief.

“How’s your head?” the rebel asked in concern.

“Killing me, but it’ll pass,” the heroine replied as she let her arms fall to her sides. “But I should be asking you guys, are you O.K.?”

“Who us? We’re good, never better,” the techno enthusiast stated with a smile. “Especially since you’re O.K. now.”

“Well, I won’t be completely O.K.,” she began, her gaze finding the charismatic criminal. “Until I’m finished with **him**.”

“Give him hell, girl,” Tucker said, furrowing her brow.

At that, Dani wasted no time; she walked over to Freakshow, only stopping when her shadow loomed over him. He must have noticed, because his body jerked, like he’d just received a sudden chill. Slowly, he turned his head to meet her, coming face to face with her intimidating presence.

“Oh, h-hello…Dani dear---”

“Don’t **ever** call me that,” she started, then kicked him so hard in the jaw that blood trickled from his mouth as he flew back, hitting the ground. “ **Ever**.”

When he didn’t move again, the white-haired half ghost knew it was all over.

 

*********

 

Numerous police cruisers lined the gates of Circus Gothica, with officers littering every inch of the train station. Many of them were talking to one another, while others were collectinh the bags of money, jewelry, and gold bars from inside the circus train. They were all in disbelief---that someone would actually try to use ghosts to rob several cities blind, and to continue to do it! They just counted themselves lucky that Amity Park’s ghost girl had put an end to Freakshow’s ongoing scheme. Even though a good number of the police didn’t view Dani Phantom in high favor, they had to admit that she did a good thing today.

Sam was leaning on one of the concession stands, now vacant and stripped of it’s branding. One foot was resting against the painted black wood, while the other supported his lanky form. As a breeze went by, the teenager shuddered, stuffing his hands inside his hoodie pockets.

Then Tucker strolled over, typing something on her PDA before looking at him.

“Good call, calling the cops like that,” Sam praised.

“Well, Freakshow’s not a ghost, so we couldn’t suck him into the Thermos. And besides, the dude’s got a ton of warrants out for his arrests, **and** we have evidence proving that he was the one responsible for stealing from all those banks across the country. Someone had to make the call.”

“That’s true. How many banks were hit?”

Tucker glanced at her PDA again. “Twelve in total, with each one reporting several thousand dollars stolen right from under their noses, just like Vlad said.”

“Yikes,” the rebel teen commented. “So, Freakshow was an ass even before this.”

“Yup.”

“He didn’t even give the money to the people who really need it,” Sam mumbled, glaring off to the side.

“Uh, I don’t think that’s the issue here,” Tucker said with a sigh.

They both watched as three officers dragged Freakshow from out of the main tent, with him pleading that they had the wrong guy. As he continued his protests, the nonconformist rolled his eyes.

Then Dani walked out from the corner of the tent, back in her human form. She jogged over to her friends, a nervous smile on her face.

“Hey guys,” she said once she reached Tucker’s side.  

“Hey girl,” the geek greeted. “Back to normal, I see?”

“Uh huh.”

“Glad to hear it,” Sam stated with a grin.

“All the ghosts rounded up?” the techno geek inquired.

“Mm hm,” Dani uttered, holding up the Fenton Thermos.

“Coolio. Seems like we’re good to clear out.”

“Yeah…um…so, I’m…I’m so sorry for what I did,” the ghost girl said, staring at the ground.

“Don’t sweat it, dude,” Tucker addressed, putting her hand up. “It wasn’t your fault.”

“Yeah, but…I tried to hurt you guys…I tried to hurt Vlad---”

Suddenly, she paused, her face went completely red.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!” she cried as she planted her hands on her warming cheeks, eyes wide as saucers.

Sam and Tucker just smirked at one another.

“Oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no!!!!”

“Girl, calm down, it’s not the end of the world,” the techno geek appeased with a chuckle.

“I said it! I said it, and he was **right there**! I practically screamed it to the heavens! I don’t think I can ever face him again!”

The goth stepped away from the concession stand and put an arm around Dani’s shoulders. “Trust me, you have nothing to worry about.”

“No? He knows! He knows I’m in love with him! How can we ever go back to the way things were? How can we ever train again without it being super awkward?”

“So Vlad knows, so what? I don’t think its gonna as bad as you think,” the computer geek stated, crossing her arms and maintaining her smirk.

“Oh yeah?” the young girl moaned into her hands, skepticism evident in her tone.  

“In any case, about what happened back there,” Sam began, changing the subject for reasons that may or may not be personal. “We don’t blame you, Dani. You were under Freakshow’s control, you can’t be held responsible for what you did.”

“Yeah, I mean, you don’t blame me for how I acted after Desiree granted my wish, right?” Tucker asked.

“No.”

“Then why should we blame you now? Heck, your case is even more understandable than mine; I wasn’t under any mind control.”

“Tucker’s right. It’s not your fault, Dani, so there’s no reason to place blame.”

The young heroine nodded. “Thanks you guys, you’re the best.”

“We know,” the geek added, flipping her hair.

The blue-eyed teen giggled.

Then Tucker looked at her PDA again, only to see a certain someone’s reflection on the screen.

“Hey Dani?”

“Yeah?”

“Sorry to have to break this to you, but…” She pointed behind them with her stylus, sporting another beaming smile.

She wasn’t really sorry.

Both Sam and Dani turned around, and the latter’s features became bathed in red again.

“Ahhh!”

The former merely blinked.

“Well, you two have a lot to chat about, so I think it’s time Sam and I head out,” the computer whiz proclaimed, taking Sam’s arm and pulling him over toward her.

“W-what? Wait, you can’t just---” the young girl panicked, but was cut off.

“Sorry man, I’m just tryin’ to look out for you!” she said cheerfully. “Bye!”

“H-how is this looking after me?? Tucker!! Sam! Please, don’t leave me alone with---”

It was too late; both her friends were jogging out of the train station, leaving her behind.

“---him,” she squeaked.

“Danielle, we need to talk,” Vlad stated in a tone that Dani couldn’t read.

“O-O.K.”

The girl followed Plasmius back around the main tent, only for him to led her even further away from the police. It made sense, she supposed, since he was still in ghost form. But couldn’t he just turn invisible or fly away?

After a few minutes of painful silence, the billionaire finally stopped behind a disused train car, one that was not affiliated with Circus Gothica. Then, black rings appeared at his midsection, changing him back to Vlad Masters.

Dani couldn’t bear to look him in the eyes. She could barely handle standing across from him. So, instead, she elected to stare at her sneakers, which she just now noticed where starting to get dirty.

_Man, I just bought these._

No matter how much she wanted to be distracted, however, her mind would take her right back to the present. Her gut curled like a pretzel and her heart rate increased to an uncomfortable rate. Her body was shaking with nerves, and her throat was suddenly dry.

_He must be thinking about how I misinterpreted him. He’s probably trying to find the best way to let me down gently, so I won’t cause a scene._

_Like I could anyway._

_He’s probably thinking about how much of a child I am, getting all excited because a guy who’s much older than me was giving me attention. He probably thinks I’m pathetic._

_He probably thinks I seriously misread his intentions._

_He must be insulted._

_So why doesn’t he say something?_

The older man was just watching her, staring at her like she was a rare species of insect. His face was calm, his arms behind his back, and his focus all on **her**.

“Aren’t you gonna say anything?”

He didn’t.

“Why’d you take me way over here if you didn’t want to say something? You even said we needed to talk.”

He took a step closer.

“Just say it already, since I already know what it is. Just get it over with!”

He took another step.

“Just tell me that I severely misjudged everything, that I misread you!”

He took yet another step, as tears pooled in the ghost girl’s eyes.

“I promise I’ll get over you, O.K.? I don’t want our mentor-student relationship to be ruined by me! I promise, I won’t let you down!”

Vlad leaned in close, so close Dani felt his breath on her mouth. “Why on earth would I want you to do that?”

“Huh?” she uttered meekly, her cheeks burning.

“Why would I want you to get over me?” he whispered, his words laced with seduction.

“I-I---”

Vlad pressed his lips against hers, softly and delicately. He parted them just enough to caress hers, and then gently turned his head with the kiss. His eyes were closed, relaxed, despite the pounding beat of his heart. He wasn’t nervous---no---he didn’t need to be, not anymore. Rather, his rampant heart beat was due to his absolute elation. For Dani, however, her heart was pounding for a multitude of reasons. She was confused, worried, happy, shocked, excited---but mostly shocked. And confused.

She felt his moist lips run over hers lightly, as if hers were made of glass, and any further pressure would break them. It was sweet, warm, and soft.

Whatever was happening, it wasn’t as a result of lust alone.

There was real care here, real **love**.

_Does this mean he…?_

The older half ghost cupped the back of Dani’s head, then stroked her hair at that spot. The young heroine felt a surge of warmth flow through her, telling her that she rather liked that. A couple of tears ran down her heated cheeks, and then she too closed her eyes.

When she felt Vlad’s other arm wrap around her waist, she didn’t hesitate; she grabbed fistfuls of his blazer, still feeling a bit nervous. She also turned her head as well, going in the opposite direction of her mentor.

Then she suddenly started thinking about certain things.

Things that weren’t PG-13.

Dani tried to wipe those thoughts from her mind.

She didn’t want to change the mood of this moment; this was so special all on its own.

Then Vlad slowly pulled away, his eyes bright and his lips still parted.

“Danielle,” he said in a near whisper, sending a very familiar chill down the younger half ghost’s spine. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.”

“S-s-so….y-you…”

He offered a low chuckle. “Since the day we first met, I’ve wanted to kiss you. For almost three months now, I’ve wanted to kiss you, to touch you,” he explained as he slowly run one on his hands up Dani’s arm. “To be with you.”

“Y-y-you…Y-you’re serious?” the young girl asked, her voice riddled with complete, unable-to-form-a-coherent-sentence, shock.

“Of course I am, little badger. I’ve been aching for you.”

“W-what…?”

“Danielle,” he began, looking so deep into her baby blues, he thought he was going to fall into them. “I’m in love with you.”

The raven-haired teen’s heart kicked into overdrive.

“I love you, everything about you; your optimism, your kind soul, your radiant smile, every last part of you, including your faults. There isn’t a single thing about you that I don’t want to keep for myself.”

“V-vlad…”

“Heh, to tell you the truth, I was terrified.”

“Terrified?”

“Yes, terrified. Terrified that the person you loved wasn’t me. When you admitted to me that you were in love with someone who wasn’t Samuel, I grew apprehensive. I had fallen to deeply for you that I couldn’t bear the thought of someone else claiming your heart.”

“So…so a-all this time…”

The tycoon chuckled again. “Indeed, it is quite ironic, but I didn’t want to express my feelings for you until I knew for certain you felt the same way. I was never sure if you did, so I held back my desires, my urges. The last thing I wanted was to hurt you.”

“Y-you know,” the ghost girl started, sniffling. “I-if you had done something, I-I wouldn’t have fought back.”

The bachelor’s eyes widened. “Danielle…”

“‘Cause I w-wanted something like that too, s-so I---”

The older man kissed her again, only this time, it was a slightly rougher. He pulled her into him, completely flush against his strong, broad body. Both of Dani’s hands were pressed against his chest, and she clutched the lapels of his blazer. She also found that her feet were no longer touching the ground. Apparently, Vlad had picked her up.

As her mentor’s lips ran over hers again and again, his words resonated in her mind. The man she loved had just put to rest all her fears and insecurities. There was no reason to hold back anymore, for either of them. They felt the same way, they both loved the other unconditionally.

They were one another’s One and Only.

He moaned, suddenly stepping closer to the train car and pressing Dani up against it. Clearly, **he** didn’t see the need to hold back anymore either.

The half ghost heroine wrapped her legs around the businessman’s torso, feeling very self-conscious but also idyllic at the same time. She couldn’t remember the last time she was so happy, at least not since learning about Vlad’s move to Amity Park.

“Danielle,” he said breathlessly, pulling away just enough so that they could breathe.

The young girl opened her eyes just a tad, anything to avoid looking into his eyes. They were too intense.

She could **feel** his stare.

“I love you,” he whispered, his voice igniting the fire in her belly.

“I-I love you, too,” she replied, fully opening her eyes (even though every cell in her body told her not too, she couldn’t help it).

With his face so close, right below hers, and his arms holding her in a gentle but firm embrace, coupled with the way he was looking at her, Dani’s heart swelled. It looked like he was slowly becoming unraveled by what they were doing---by **her**.  

He really was head over heels.

“H-hey, you know? I-I’ve never seen you like this,” the ghost girl chuckled.

“Like how?”

“L-like you’re about to fall apart.”

“That would be my gentlemanly façade, my dear,” he said darkly, a smirk playing at his lips. “I don’t need to play by the rules, anymore.”

“No?”

“No. I have to warn you, I can be rather possessive. And since I’m not the nicest man in the world, if you end up unknowingly seducing me like you always do, I’m liable to respond in kind.”  

“W-wait, w-what do you mean ‘unknowingly seducing you’?”

He laughed, but it was low, sultry. “Whenever you’re being cute, or utterly adorable.”

“Ador---” The poor thing thought her face couldn’t get any hotter.

She was wrong.

“Danielle, you don’t understand just how much I adore you. You fail to see just what you do to me,” he proclaimed, leaning down to her neck, planting a soft kiss on the heated skin.

“V-vlad?” she asked nervously.

“Hmm?” he purred.

“I uh…W-well…y-you do things to me too…” the young heroine confessed, without really knowing why. Perhaps she wanted to prove just how much of an influence he had on her?

“Is that right?” he inquired, kissing her neck all the way up to her ear. “Tell me.”

“W-what?”

He spoke directly into her ear, sending another shiver down her spine. “Tell me what I do to you.”

“V-vlad!” she squeaked, thoroughly embarrassed.

Then he pulled away, looking into her baby blue orbs again. “Don’t worry, you don’t have to right now, not that I would mind if you did.”

“Y-you’re a perv, aren’t you?” the younger half ghost asked teasingly.

“Indeed I am, Danielle. Didn’t you know I’m quite the sadist?”

“I-I guess I know now…” she stammered, glancing to the left.

He chuckled in an amused fashion. “You don’t have to be scared of me, little badger. I may speak in sexual bravado from time to time, but I don’t intend to force you into doing something you’re not ready for. I just enjoy getting a rise out of you.”

“O-Oh yeah?” she challenged with a grin. “Well one day, I-I’ll get you back. Just you wait!”

“Oh, I’ll be looking forward to that day,” he declared, kissing her on the cheek and finally setting back down on the ground. “I do apologize if I came on a bit strong the second time I kissed you.”

“It’s O.K., I kinda liked it,” Dani admitted, rocking back and forth on her heels.

“Are you implying that you can handle me and my sudden bouts of affection?” he asked with a smirk and a raised eyebrow, folding his arms behind his back.

“Is that what you call it? ‘Cause I think most people call it ‘sexual harassment’.”

“It’s not a crime if you’re not caught,” Vlad stated rather proudly.

She laughed. “Looks like your still full of it.”

“Naturally, Danielle.”

The raven-haired teenager shoved her hands into the pockets of her hoodie, watching her mentor with joyful eyes. She still couldn’t believe it---did everything that just happened really just happen? Did Vlad really kiss her? Did he actually confess his love for her?

Did she really say that the “kinda liked” his rough kiss?

The man she loved loved her back, meaning there was no need to stand on ceremony any longer. She didn’t need to walk around the issue anymore, and she also didn’t have to keep her distance emotionally. They could be together; the two of them could go for walks in the park, or see movies late at night (if she snuck out), or even snuggle on the couch again!

Honestly, that last thought was the one that excited her the most.

Then, another thought careened into her mind: they needed to do this properly.

“Hey Vlad?”

“Yes?” he addressed, cocking his head to the side, wearing a tender expression.

“So, we uh…are we…you know…” Dani’s face felt hot again, and instinctively she cast her gaze down.

_Why am I still so shy about this? It’s not like I have a reason to be anymore. Or maybe its **because** its Vlad? _

The older billionaire waited expectantly, all while the younger half ghost struggled to get herself together.

_I swear, being a girl sucks sometimes._

“I uh…Well…”

“What is it?”

“So…are we…are we dating now??” she asked, raising her voice to an unnecessary octave. 

The tycoon blinked several times in rapid succession.

Dani felt like slamming her head into a wall.

Then he laughed. “Danielle, you are truly the most adorable thing in this world.”

Blushing, she averted her gaze once more. “It’s just a simple question,” she pouted.

“Forgive me, your tone caught me off guard,” he admitted, clearly still tickled by her outburst. “Permit me to answer your question with another question: do you want to be dating?”

“Y-yes!” she exclaimed, not even pausing to think about her reply. She didn’t need to.

This was something she had been wanting for a long time now.

“Mm, good, because I have no intention of letting you go, not now, or ever,” the bachelor declared, stepping over to his pupil and taking her into his arms yet again. “That being said, I know I’m not exactly what many people your age would be looking for in a boyfriend, but I promise you, I will give you anything you want, provide for you in any way I can.”

Warmth built up in the girl’s chest, and she wrapped her arms around the business mogul’s masculine form. Then she pressed her cheek against his chest.

“All I need is you, Vlad. You don’t have to give me anything special. Just you.”

“Danielle…”

“You’re all I want,” she proclaimed, burying her face further into his blazer. Though she was being bold, in truth she was horrendously embarrassed to say such things.

“Danielle.”

“Mm?”

“Look at me.”

She mentally whined.

Her baby blues meet his navy orbs, seeing her reflection within them. She noted how flushed she looked, even from her tiny mirrored selves. But it was clear to her now, if there was any doubt at all, that the handsome older man truly loved her and wanted nothing more than to give her the world.

A wish that she shared as well.

The silver-haired billionaire leaned down and planted a sweet, soft kiss on her lips, communicating his overwhelming affection with just this one act. The kiss itself was not feverish---in fact, it was because it was gentle that Dani understood his feelings. He was holding back, **still** holding back, because he didn’t want to hurt her. She was inexperienced, young, naïve, so it was only natural that he would want to ease her into the more physical aspects of a relationship. She made a promise then, to her and to him, that she could hurry up and become his equal; she promised that she would not run away from sexual things because she was shy or whatever. No, she would mature for him, the man she longed to be with forever.

When Vlad pulled away, she humored telling him this, but she was much too embarrassed at the prospect.

So much for not running.

_Whatever, I’ll get there!_

“Well, little badger, it looks like your stuck with me,” the tycoon said with a smile, stroking her hair.

“That should be my line,” the young teenager stated with a smirk, trying to hide how much her nerves were getting to her. “So, we’re going out now…”

“Yes, it seems we are.”

“Yay!” she stated with glee, making sure to keep her voice at a normal volume.

Vlad then put his hand upon her back. “Shall I take you home? It’s almost ten.”

“We gonna teleport?”

“Indeed.”

“Awesome!”

He chuckled. It seemed he was doing that a lot today.

A fuchsia portal opened up before them, showing Dani just how powerful her mentor really was. The fact that he could duplicate his form and teleport was impressive enough, but seeing that he could create portals while still in his human form was something else altogether.

He definitely lived up to his boasts.  

The older business mogul directed her to it with a subtle push of his arm, and soon the two of them were inside Fenton Works, in Dani’s bedroom.

“Wow, that was fast, not like the movies,” she commented.

“You’ll find that Hollywood often embellishes certain things in order to keep the audience invested,” Vlad enlightened.

“Ohhh. Makes sense.”

With a yawn, the girl wandered to her bed, not bothering to change out of her clothes (though she wouldn’t dare to, not with Vlad in the room), and flopped down onto the pink comforter.

“Man, I’m never going to a circus again.”

“Though I agree with the sentiment, I doubt that other circuses are in any way similar to that one,” the older half ghost said as he glanced around the room. Truly, he didn’t think he would ever get tired of seeing it, just knowing that he was the first man she allowed in here.

The young heroine rolled over onto her back and rangled the comforter out from underneath her, which was an interesting sight to be sure. Once she had it where she wanted it, Dani tucked herself in and yawned again---it finally dawned on her just how tired she was.

And how couldn’t she be? She had a long day; she went to the circus, got put under mind control by a creepy lecher, admitted her feelings for her mentor, received a love confession from said mentor.

It was nuts, to say the least.

“Hey Vlad?”

“Yes, Danielle?” the billionaire answered as he walked over to her bed and sat down next to her legs.

“I know this might not be possible, but…could you spend the night?”

His eyes grew as wide as diner plates.

“J-just to sleep! I-I just don’t want you to go, is all. It’s like…if you go, then I may wake up in the morning and find out this was all a dream.”

“Danielle,” the bachelor began, taking her hand in his. “This is not a dream, I assure you. I love you, more than I have ever loved anything else. You’re the most important thing to me, the most important person in my life. When you told me that all you needed was me, my heart soared, little badger. No one has ever made me feel like this, no one.”

Now the young heroine’s heart was thumping again.

“N-not even mom?”

“Especially not your mother.”

“Well…I-I’m glad I was able to make you happy,” Dani said quietly, pulling the comforter up over her lips.

“And to answer your question,” he began, leaned down and kissing her temple. “I would be more than happy to stay.”

“R-really?”

“Really,” he affirmed, gently pulling the blanket down from her face. “I would be honored.”

“O.K., cool…but…um…I just realized, this bed is too small for both of us.”

“Nonsense,” he said as he climbed on top of her. “If you’ll allow me…”

“Ah…” Seeing Vlad above her, looming over her vulnerable form incited more feelings for embarrassment, but also excitement. But she had to levee this desires. After all, he was only here to keep her company, not for **other things.**

She moved over to the right, toward her door, enabling the older man to get in next to her. Dani then tossed some of her pink blanket over his body as kicked his loafers off.

“I’m sorry for making you sleep in your suit,” she said, looking at his cravat. They were both now lying on their sides.

“Not to worry, little badger, this is where it benefits to have half powers.” He grabbed his blazer and shirt with one hand, and phased them off, and tossed them over his shoulder.

“Ahh!” Dani exclaimed, realizing that he was now **shirtless**.

“What’s the matter? Surely this isn’t a problem anymore.”

“N-no, it’s not…but…just give me a warning next time!”

He laughed. “Very well.”

The billionaire draped an arm over Dani’s shoulder blades and pulled her to him, causing her to yipe.

However, he didn’t release her.

Though the sound was more out of being startled than anything, and he knew that.

She snuggled up to his bare chest, feeling some soft hairs just below his collar bone. He was so warm, so secure, so comforting. His breaths were measured, calm, like he was more or less in control of himself. And his smile reflected this as well. His body---which the ghost girl already knew---was broad, but now that she could actually feel his muscles, she finally understood just how hard his form really was. Despite this, he wasn’t uncomfortable to spoon with, rather, he was just sturdy enough to provide protection and warmth but just soft enough to be easy to hug.

Nuzzling her cheek against her pillow, her tired but beaming baby blues looked at her One and Only, and he, in turn, noticed how the moon light glistened in her eyes.

“Good night Vlad,” she said, tenderness oozing from her tone as she grabbed his hand and held it under her chin.

“Sweet dreams, my love,” he replied, elation and tranquility blossoming in his heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I know I did! I had a blast writing it, and I can't wait to go into Dani and Vlad's relationship even further, which, lets face it, is the reason we're all here in the first place >:) Anyway, I'll be taking another short hiatus because of school, but I'll get back to writing some time this weekend and hopefully I'll have posted again by the end of the month. Fingers crossed!


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